How To Bond With A Cat
by theonewhosawitall
Summary: Marinette didn't think twice when it came to saving Chat Noir's life, or taking his promise of repayment, so when Nino asked her to get Chat to act in his film with her, she obliged. Then he was lonely so of course she invited him for taste-testing at the bakery. Now Chat Noir is visiting weekly and Marinette likes having her best friend around, even though thing are getting messy.
1. Chapter 1

It was a day that would change everything. Even though it started out normal enough, everything was about to change. But when I say normal enough, nothings ever normal with Nino and Alya around. They have far too much flare. Marinette, Alya and Nino were wandering down the street together. Nino was complaining again.

"But there was room on the door! She could have balanced it out by sitting upright and not being so lazy!"

"Dude let it go!" Alya groaned.

"And she could have stayed in the lifeboat! Then he wouldn't have had to worry about her, and someone else who deserved to live could live!" Nino insisted.

"She loved him," Marinette pointed out.

"She met him three days before!" Nino argued.

"The real crime is she dropped the jewel back into the sea. If I had listened to some daft old woman tell a stupid story about leaving the love of her life to freeze to death because she didn't want to sit up, I'd want my jewellery to make it worth my time," Alya huffed.

"Are we going to ignore the fact that that old woman basically just told her granddaughter she slept with a strange man she just met in someone's car that they just broke into, while engaged to another man, before leaving the stranger to die?" Nino asked.

Marinette stopped walking. This thought had never occurred to her before. She frowned. "Titanic is a weird film."

Alya and Nino agreed. Then they were distracted by a sudden and heavy tide of people hurrying this way. They weren't exactly running away, but there was a lot of people heading in the opposite direction to them, briskly. It wasn't really a calm and orderly fashion either. It was more like a crowd heading to a show of some kind, only instead of excited cries, there were nervous murmurs.

"What's going on?" Nino asked.

"Probably an akuma," Marinette said.

"It's probably Jack coming to get revenge for the idiot woman who left him to die," Alya grinned. She grabbed Nino's arm dramatically, and declared in a desperate, over the top tone, "Nino, this is where we met!"

Nino grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her a little like he was declaring something from the depth of his heart. "You must do me this honour. Promise me you'll survive. That you won't give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Alya, and never let go of that promise!"

"I promise," Alya sniffed dramatically.

"Never let go!" Nino shook her so drastically that her hair flapped.

"I'll never let go, Nino. I'll never let go. I promise!" Alya cried.

Marinette laughed at the impromptu street drama, but now she could see the akuma coming. The closer it got, the thicker the tide of people heading in the other direction became. They needed Ladybug.

"I gotta go," she said.

Alya flung around to look at her, horrified, "Where are you going? To him? To be a whore to a gutter rat?!"

Marinette put on her most scandalous tone, "I'd rather be his whore than your wife!"

"GASP!" Alya cried, clutching her pearls in horror.

"Hey look! It's Chat Noir!" Nino interrupted.

Nino's eyes shone in awe as the city's favourite stay came flying down to the street in front of them. He flashed them a grin, and urged them to hide. Nino took a step forward, like a kid in front of balloons. The akuma came around the corner. It had to be an akuma, their skin was pure green. She also had a robot creature creeping along behind her, ready to fight. Marinette frowned. Who needed a robot too? That was just over the top. But it meant that Alya and Nino were distracted, which was the perfect opportunity for her to make her escape.  
Then she spotted something that made her freeze.  
Chat Noir was beating off the robot with his staff, but his attention was completely on that. He didn't even glance at the akuma victim.  
And she had another robot creeping down from her sleeve.  
It aimed right at him.  
Marinette didn't think. She didn't have time to become Ladybug, Chat Noir was in danger and he wasn't going to wait for her to transform. Her partner needed her.

 _Now_.

Which is how Marinette found herself racing across the road, despite Tikki's protesting yell, straight towards Chat. She threw herself across the road, through the air, and straight into Chat Noir. The pair of them were thrown down to the ground, and she yanked him into a roll to pull him out of danger.  
The akuma arm smashed into the ground where Chat Noir would have been standing, and shattered the tarmac of the road, tearing it up like an open wound. There was a pink and black blur as Chat Noir and Marinette rolled out across the road, together fast enough to blur into one another. They came to a crashing stop, Chat against the road, Marinette pressed on top of him. Their faces were inches away from one another. Each of them groaned in pain, but let their attention focus on the other.

"Are you ok?" They asked at the same time.

Her glorious midnight eyes sparkled mischievously, inches from his, and sparkled brighter as she grinned. Chat Noir turned fuchsia. He never noticed how gorgeous she was before. Before she was pushed entirely against him, in a very compromising position.  
She giggled.  
That sound rung in his ears like no akuma ever could. Her delicate fingers jingled the bell on his collar, playfully, and he blushed harder.

"Be careful Chat. Who will save Paris if you get hurt?" She teased.

That voice, that tone, it made him tingle. He forced a weak smile, and she pushed herself away from him. He propped himself on his elbows and watched her in awe as she dusted herself down, flashed him a grin, and ran off down the street. He watched her go, shocked. Marinette was far braver than he ever gave her credit for. He glanced back at the akuma. If she hadn't been there, he would be dead. That made him feel a little queasy.  
Chat Noir shook his head. His cat ears flapped as he did. He set his jaw with determination and leapt to his feet. Ladybug came swooping to his side seconds later.

"Did I miss anything?" She grinned.

Chat Noir was a little shaken up, but he wasn't about to tell his lady that. He flashed her the best smile he could master. "Not a thing."

The whole thing had taken about a minute, but Adrien couldn't shift it from his mind. His entire view of Marinette shifted. He was wandering around his bedroom, too vamped up to sleep, even as the night crept later and later. Plagg was not impressed.

"I can't stop thinking about how brave that was!" Adrien gushed.

"Go to sleep," Plagg mumbled from where he was curled on Adrien's pillow, trying to sleep.

"I should go and talk to her," Adrien declared.

"You shouldn't," Plagg stated.

"She saved my life!" Adrien argued.

"And now she's asleep! Let sleeping girls lie, and go to sleep yourself!" Plagg raised his head to scowl at Adrien pointedly.

Adrien glanced at the clock it was nearly three in the morning and he had things to do in the morning. Plagg was right. He needed to lie down, close his eyes and try to get some rest. Except actually falling asleep is harder than decided it's time to sleep. Adrien's mind kept whirling despite all his tossing and turning. He _needed_ to thank Marinette. Needed to. But it could wait until tomorrow.

"It. Was. AWESOME! Chat Noir came flying through and he stood right in front of us and he fought off that big ugly robot with his staff like this-" Nino made swooshing noises as he acted out how Chat Noir swiped with his staff.

This went on for quite a while. Alya and Marinette were sitting on the table top of a picnic table, with their bags leaning on their feet on the seat. They shared a look as Nino got a little too into imaginary staff fighting, and laughed together.

"And THEN the akuma, she had ANOTHER ROBOT on the arm, and it took over her whole arm like some kind of armour, and she was aiming it, right at Chat Noir-" Nino raised his arm like she had, and aimed it at a random point in the street, as if that was Chat Noir. His voice dropped low for the drama and he continued, "she had him in her sights... there would be no escape... she pulled the trigger, and then..."

With utter glee in his eyes he leapt around and pointed squarely at Marinette as she sat on the table top. She sat up in surprise, but grinned.

"Our very own Marinette raced across the street, threw herself sacrificially at Chat Noir, with no thought for the danger she put herself in, and saved. His. Life."

Nino clenched his fist in front of his face and breath the last words dramatically. Then he ran forward, threw an arm around her shoulder, and raised the other arm into the sky, like he was showing her something miraculous.

In a low, dramatic voice, he announced, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng: hero to heroes."

Marinette laughed brightly as Alya cheered and Nino beamed. He leapt to his feet and bowed.

"Thank you. Thank you. It was nothing. You can hear all about it in my new film, as soon as I'm finished casting the parts. Mari, would you do me the honour of playing yourself?"

"I would be delighted," Marinette smirked.

"I knew you would. You're a great friend, isn't she Adrien?" Nino said, pointedly.

Adrien grinned. He had been rather enthralled by Nino's way of telling the story. He usually was, Nino had a real flare for the dramatic when he wanted to. Especially if it was something he was passionate about. Now he glanced at Marinette.

"Sounds like Chat Noir had a lot to thank you for Mari. So does Paris too," Adrien said seriously. He reached out, around Alya, and touched her knee with his fingertips. "Thank you."

Alya grinned as Marinette blushed scarlet. She had to look away, but he could hear her grin in her voice.

"It was nothing... I mean cats always land on their feet, right?" She shrugged.

"Not in my experience. He could have been killed. You're amazing Marinette," Adrien said.

"Th-thanks, you are too amazing. I mean amazing are you too! I mean- urgh..." Marinette covered her face with her hands. It was impossible for her to go any redder.

Alya grinned to herself and laid a hand on Marinette's shoulder. It wasn't a lot but it was enough that Marinette didn't feel so embarrassed. At least Alya was there for her.

"And for dashing hero Chat Noir we need someone handsome. Smart. Daring. Funny. And practically, _purr_ -fect in every way," Nino's gaze fell on Adrien.

Adrien's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. "Me?!"

"Please? You're both blonde, you've both got green eyes, if we put you in a cat suit and made you a little taller, you could look just like him!" Nino begged.

"No, no, I- what'd you mean a little taller?!" Adrien demanded.

"Nothing dude, but Chat is a little taller than you. Like, not much, but enough that its noticeable," Nino shrugged.

Adrien frowned. That wasn't even possible. And besides, everyone saw Chat through the tv or videos or from very far away! They couldn't possibly know how tall he really was. And he stood on buildings all the time, that's sure to make him look taller! Adrien couldn't just stand on rooftops whenever he to, to make himself taller. He couldn't compete with a hero like Chat Noir. Besides, he knew he was just as tall as Chat. The exact same height some might say. Even so, he still looked or back up.

"What'd you think Alya?" Adrien challenged.

Alya shrugged, "I don't care about height. What does it matter anyway? It's not like Chat Noir is coming to take your crown, you're still the greatest model ever to walk these halls."

"What, so Chat Noir isn't handsome enough for you?" Nino challenged.

"Chat Noir is handsome, sure, mysterious too which makes him more attractive, but like, I wouldn't hire him to be a model. For one thing he's way too allusive. If there was an akuma and he had to leave, that's be a day's work wasted. Nah, he's great to film, but he's not exactly…"

"Not exactly what?!" Nino demanded.

"Not exactly reliable," Alya finished.

Nino turned blue for a moment as he was too busy forming an argument to remember to breath. "CHAT NOIR IS A HERO OF PARIS! IF THE ENTIRE CITY CAN RELY ON HIM, YOU CAN TOO!"

"I rely on him to save the city, I don't rely on him on a personal level. If I needed things moved out of my house I'd phone Marinette or you or Adrien way before I phoned Chat because I can rely on you lot being there when I need you," Alya argued back.

"BUT-"

"What Alya is trying to say is that Chat Noir is a hero. You'll never be number one with a hero, because the greater good comes first, so sometimes you can't rely on a hero," Marinette interrupted, calmly, to try and soothe Nino.

"Well put Mari," Alya nodded.

Nino didn't seem convinced. He still seemed annoyed. Adrien had been strangely quiet through all of this. usually if someone brought up Chat Noir he'd find a way to twist the conversation over to Ladybug. This time he seemed to be just a little less upset than Nino.

"Adrien? What's wrong?" Alya asked.

"I'm a model. I can't be relied on either, because my schedule is hectic. Does that annoy you too?" Adrien asked.

"Of course not. You warn us that you can't be there, or can't be there for long, so we can prepare if you have to leave. it's not Chat's fault he's unreliable, but it's not like Hawk Moth follows a schedule we can prepare for," Alya explained.

Adrien didn't seem any cheered up by that, but it did one thing. It made him determined to be someone who at least tries to be reliable. The first thing he was going to do, was go to Marinette as Chat Noir and thank her. then he'd figure out the reliable thing later.

Chat Noir tapped on the window to draw her attention. She looked surprised. Not as shocked as he expected, but more alarmed. He flashed her a grin as she opened the window.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"How are you?" He smiled.

"I'm fine. That doesn't answer my question," she countered.

"No... can I come in?" He asked.

Marinette glanced into her room, anxiously. It wasn't exactly clean in here, but she couldn't leave him out in the cold. February nights tended to be colder than they seemed. She nodded. He grinned, and slipped through the window, onto her bed, and shut the window hard behind him.

"Brrr, it's cold out!" He complained with a smile.

"Its winter," Marinette agreed.

She started climbing down from her bed and Chat Noir followed. "Yeah. This time of year, many cats seek warming in under the hood of car wheels because people forget to check before driving off."

Marinette frowned. "That's horrible!"

Chat nodded, his ears dropping. "I almost joined them the other day. You saved my life."

"Oh it wasn't a big deal, I mean, even heroes need saving sometimes, and you're always there for Paris, we should always be there for you, right?" She shrugged.

"Not everyone was. You were. If you weren't... I'm grateful," he insisted.

"Really its ok. Ladybug already told me she was grateful that she still had a partner. You don't have to keep thanking me," Marinette lied.

Tikki smirked. Clearly Marinette was trying to tell him she was just glad he was alive, but obviously Chat didn't know that. He perked up in surprise at this new information.

"Ladybug was here?"

"Yeah, she said you were her partner and she was glad you're safe," Marinette said.

If saving his life wasn't enough, this was perfect. He had proof that his lady cared about him. Really cared. She went out of her way to thank Marinette for him. His chest filled with such affection he leapt forward and threw his arms around her. She tensed for a moment. She hadn't been expecting a hug. Then she laughed and hugged him back.

"Really, it's nothing," she shrugged.

He held her at an arm's length and looked so deeply into her eyes she could practically feel them in her soul.

"I'm going to repay you. Whenever you need me, call this number. I'll be there. I promise."

He pressed his number into his hand on a piece of paper. Marinette shook her head.

"Chat you don't have to-"

Chat closed her hand around the paper he had placed in it, and repeated, firmly, "I promise."

Marinette reeled a little, more alarmed then she wanted to admit, but she forced a smile, and took a step out of his grip.

"Ok... Thanks," she said.

Chat Noir nodded firmly. He left without another word, and left Marinette feeling strange. The number was for his staff phone. She recognised it. She didn't need it. Marinette crumpled it up in her palm and dropped it into the bin.

"It's sweet though, isn't it? He wants to pay you back," Tikki said.

"Yeah... he's a good kitty," Marinette chuckled.


	2. Chapter 2

Adrien listened into Marinette's conversations intensely. He was eager to hear her telling Alya about meeting Ladybug, because he was desperate to find out what she had said. It had been days and he was yet to hear her say anything about it.

"I mean, I get _why_ Nino wants to do this film project, but, man, what's the point? It's not like there's any story here. He's going to have to invent one, _and_ he's going to have to get Chat's permission for poetic licence!" Alya complained.

"Chat would give it," Adrien said coolly.

Alya raised an eyebrow at him. "How would you know?"

Adrien's heartbeat faster, but he tried to keep cool with a shrug. "He just seems like that kind of guy."

"He defiantly would if Mari asked. She said that he came to her bedroom the other night and promised he'd be there if she needed him," Alya's tone was dangerously near to teasing.

"I don't need him! I'm fine!" Marinette countered.

"But Nino's movie would be better with his permission to fix it," Alya insisted.

"I don't know why he's so keen to film it anyway. I didn't do anything amazing," Marinette groaned.

"You saved his life!" Adrien countered.

"He saves ours all the time!" She countered instantly.

"Yeah but that's his job, and he's got the protective clothing. You're just one of us. You could have been seriously hurt. Adrien was when he protected Ladybug," Alya said, firmly.

Marinette smirked to herself. She couldn't bring herself to look at Adrien at the moment. He seemed to always be looking in her direction at the moment. Alya got called away by Nino, Marinette followed her with her eyes, and she spotted a fluffy black and white cat wander out from the bushes. The cat wandered onto the path, sat down, and started cleaning its paws. Adrien shuffled closer to Marinette. She felt him do it. She didn't look away from the cat.

"So what's Chat really like?" He grinned.

Marinette pointed at the cat. "Like that."

Adrien glanced up and spotted the cat. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or yell. All his friends seemed to be tearing him apart at the moment. Then he heard her laugh. He turned his head and she grinned at him.

"What?" He asked.

"For a moment you looked like you really thought he was going to be standing there," she said.

"Well Alya says he's protective of you now," Adrien smirked.

Alya was severally exaggeration the depth of Marinette and Chat's relationship.

"He gave me his number. Just in case I need it," she explained.

"So you could prank call him?" Adrien grinned.

Marinette laughed. She'd never thought of pranking the cat before. But she assumed only two people - well only one but no one but she and Tikki knew that - had the number. By process of elimination, he'd figure out who it was. She could give that number to other people, so it would be harder to figure out who was calling, but again, only she had the number to give to other people. And he trusted her to keep it secret.

"I really don't think I'll need it," she admitted, "I basically never go out alone, and if I do its somewhere safe. I'll never be in enough danger to call."

"At least you have it, just in case," he said.

Marinette glanced back in the direction Alya had gone. "Do you think... do you think Nino would want him to come for his film?"

Adrien shrugged. "Nino probably would."

Marinette and Adrien sat in silence for a moment or two. Neither of them really knew what to say. Marinette was busy thinking about whether it was worth calling Chat or not, and Adrien was wondering if he was ever going to get a chance to pay her back. Their knees knocked together while they were distracted, and neither of them tried to move away.

"I'm going to do it," she declared suddenly.

"Do what?" He asked.

"Ask Chat to come talk to Nino. I don't need a favour from him, but if I can use it to help Nino, it'll make his day," she explained.

Adrien gave a soft smile. She was passing up the opportunity to make Chat her servant in order to help a friend.

"You're a good friend Mari," he smiled.

Marinette blushed and shrugged. She wanted to be more than s good friend, but right now, she'd settle for just sitting this close to him.

Adrien was beginning to think she'd changed her mind about calling as the night wore on. It wasn't until he'd just yanked on his pyjamas that he heard the call. He lit up and snatched it into his hand quickly.

"Hello princess, your knight in shining armour is here," he purred.

He heard her giggle and he grinned to himself. "Hi Chat, I have a favour to ask."

"Ask away princess, I'm sure I'll say yes," he said.

"I have this friend, Nino, he wants to make a film about..."

"About?"

Her voice shrank, like it was something she didn't want to talk about. "Me saving you."

Adrien frowned. "You sound ashamed."

"I'm not ashamed! I just don't want people to keep going on about it! You and Ladybug save the whole city all the time, all I did was save my - you."

She felt her heart beat faster. The words "my partner" rolled off her tongue far too easily when she was talking to him. Even not as Ladybug. That could end badly. Chat didn't seem to notice.

"People appreciate that sort of thing princess," he said.

"Well anyway, Nino needs help to make it interesting, and, like, I told him, maybe id talk to you, and err, maybe, you'd, sort of, err, maybe, like-"

"Marinette take a breath. You're panicking."

His voice was calm and soft, and just what she needed. He heard her take a deep breath, and let it out slowly. The ease in which she took his advice made him smile.

"Would you come to the park near my bakery tomorrow and talk to Nino, so he can discuss his plans for his film with you?" She asked, calmer.

 _And maybe drool over you a little bit_. Nino wasn't the best at controlling himself, especially around his hero. Down the phone she could hear his velvety laugh.

"Of course, I'll talk to your friend. Is there nothing I can do for you?"

She sighed with relief and beamed. "No, I told you, I'm fine."

"As long as you're sure. I'll see you in the park say, tomorrow at one?"

" _Purr_ -fect!"

Adrien sat upright and beamed. In a knowing, yet teasing voice, he asked, "Was that a pun princess?"

He could hear that cheesy grin in her tone as she said, "Goodnight Chat."

When she hung up Adrien was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Plagg just tutted.

"Both of you should focus less on tomorrow and more on tonight. You'll never get to sleep if you're busy staring at your phone all night! Then you'll be tired and ratty in the morning and your father will yell. I hate when he yells at breakfast. He ruins the mood of the cheese!"

"The cheese mood?" Adrien repeated.

"Cheese has moods!" Plagg snipped.

Adrien threw his arms up in surrender when Plagg gave him that ready-to-fight scowl. Then, out of sheer curiosity, he asked, "Don't you have nightmares like every night?"

"Not really. I've lived worse nightmares than my imagination can come up with. They don't scare me anymore," Plagg shrugged.

Adrien frowned. Plagg was always so apathetic Adrien often forgot he had lived through all of man kinds worst horrors, and probably fought to defeat most of them. The things he must have seen... Adrien shuddered at the thought. But if there was one thing that kept him going, one thing no one could ever take away from him, that one thing, was camembert. Adrien ran an affectionate hand down the kwamis back, and scratched behind his ear.  
The world might not appreciate him, but Adrien did.

Nino span through a million different emotions when Marinette told him Chat was coming. He came close to tears with both excitement and fear. Then he ended up throwing his arms around Marinette so hard that she stumbled backwards before catching back onto him. Nino was unashamed at home much of a fan boy he was. Alya was unashamed about how much of a fangirl she was, for Ladybug. She often joked, in fact, that she, Adrien and Chloe would make a Ladybug fan club, while Marinette, Nino and (for some reason) Rose would make a Chat Noir fan club.

Alya elbowed Marinette playfully. "I think you just made his life. He's never going to get over this."

"You never got over that exclusive interview with Ladybug, did you?" Marinette teased back.

"No, no, that's true. Look at you, setting up hero meetings like you're their mangers! Maybe you are a hero's hero," Alya gave her a fake suspicious look.

Marinette gave a tight, forced laughed, "don't be silly!"

Alya smirked. Marinette was incredibly gullible sometimes. They turned back to watch Nino. Chat Noir was grinning at him brightly, which made Nino grin back. They clicked instantly. It was weirdly like watching Nino meeting his best friend for the first time.

"I'm glad Adrien isn't here. He might be a bit jealous," Alya chuckled.

Marinette laughed brightly, closing her eyes and bowing her head as she did. Alya elbowed her again.

"Hey, he's looking at you," she hissed.

Marinette looked up in surprise. Nino and Chat were looking straight at her. Chat waggled his fingers in a wave. She smirked, and waved back. Alya sniggered.

"Adrien would be _so_ jealous," she muttered.

"What'd you think they're talking about?" Marinette asked.

"You."

"But why?"

Alya shrugged as if she didn't have a clue, but she did. Nino had told her his plan last night. Nino didn't just want permission to use Chat's story, he wanted Chat to be in it. Right now, he was probably pointing at Marinette to let Chat know it was going to be the same girl that actually saved him. Neither of them wanted to tell Marinette that they were going to get Chat to play Chat, because she would insist that he didn't have time for it, and he didn't have to, and it was really ok, because Adrien would do it, and really its fine! Alya understood why. If she had a chance to be on top of her crush, she'd take it in a heartbeat. But in the end, it was Chat Noir in the story, so it would be him in the film. Nino came running over, excitedly.

"Good news, he said yes!" He beamed.

"Congratulations, I call maid of honour!" Alya beamed.

"Oh, it'll be a beautiful wedding, I'll make the dress myself!" Marinette laughed.

Chat Noir leaned against her shoulder, and grinned, "I want a tutu skirt on mine, I like how fluffy they are, and they make me feel like a ballerina."

Marinette didn't hesitate when it came to teasing him back. "Aren't you a ballerina? You balance on that staff like one."

"You should see me dance," he winked.

"I'll take you up on that at the wedding," she grinned.

"The wedding?! He's got a pole right on his belt, I think his dancing belongs at the hen do," Alya snorted.

"Even Adrien doesn't have enough money to pay the debt you'd get into if you saw Chat pole dance," Marinette smirked.

Alya raised an eyebrow at how easily and flawlessly she could act around Chat Noir, despite his hero status, and yet put her in front of charming, handsome model Adrien Agreste and suddenly she couldn't string two sentences together.

"Let us see the ring then! I hope it wasn't that one," Alya tapped Chat's miraculous.

Chat held his miraculous to his chest with his other hand, defensively. "What's wrong with my ring?!"

"An engagement ring has to sparkle! This is dull as the rest of your outfit, Nino how could you be so cheap?" Alya smirked.

"How dare you call the love of my life cheap?!" Chat joked.

Alya opened her mouth to retort, but Marinette tugged Alya's sleeve, her voice soft, "Alya... Alya it's time to stop now."

"Why? Oh."

Nino was so red he could be used to paint a fire engine. He was so embarrassed that he was overheating. His eye was twitching, and he couldn't talk, and he was like a malfunctioning robot. Marinette put an arm around him and Alya turned him around by the shoulders. Together they hurried him over to the nearest bench, so he could sit down, and the blood could run back up to his brain instead of his cheeks.

"What'd you say yes to then?" Marinette asked, curiously, as Alya fussed over Nino.

"they didn't tell you?" Chat sounded surprised.

"tell me what?" she asked.

"You are I are going to be co-stars," He bumped his shoulder against hers playfully.

Her expression was hard to place, but it was easy to say that it was not positive. "what about Adrien?!"

"I guess he's busy or something," Chat shrugged.

Marinette scowled. "Damn. I was looking forward to working with him."

"well hey, now you get the chance to work with me."

"Nino will need you to be there. Last time an akuma interrupted us, if it happens again you'll have to leave, and Nino wouldn't be as happy as he says he is. Are you sure you're prepared for that?"

"Don't worry princess, I'm as reliable as they come. And I'm as good an actor as I look," Chat winked.

"Then we're doomed," she groaned.

Chat's eyes widened at her, ready to be offended. Then he caught a glimpse of that little smirk behind her hair. She was teasing him. wow. Marinette was so different around Chat than around Adrien. This became so much clearer when they were on set.

Marinette burst into laughter for the sixth time since Alya told her to stop that. Alya growled under her breath. There was another squirt as Alya sprayed that awful smelling hairspray over the hair she had just pinned into place again. every time Marinette moved, even to giggle, she tugged it out of Alya's hand, so Alya gave it extra spray so it wouldn't break out of shape so easily. Hopefully. Marinette couldn't help giggling. Nino had set up a little tent in the park for costume changes and hair and make-up, but she could see through a gap in the flap, and Chat Noir was pulling faces at her, then diving out of view whenever Alya looked up.

"Girl, stop! You're going to ruin your hair!" Alya huffed.

"It's not my fault it's Chat! He's pulling faces at me!" Marinette insisted.

Chat pulled back the tent flap and put his hand on his chest dramatically, "would I do a thing like that?!"

She gave him a glare, but she couldn't help grinning. It was nice having him around. Sometimes it almost gave her a heart attack when she found him glancing her way when she was talking to Tikki, and Alya but otherwise it was fun. Alya seemed to enjoy having him around too.

She threatened him with her hair brush. "Quit it you, or I'll brush a fur ball off of you!"

Chat Noir's ears flattened nervously and he lifted his hands into the air in surrender. Alya twitched the hairbrush towards the seat beside the mirror. He sat on it obediently. Alya smirked with satisfaction and went back to brushing Marinette's hair. Now she could keep an eye on Chat, she could threaten him with the brush if he misbehaved. Every time she turned her back, he pulled a face at Marinette. Whenever she could Marinette pulled one back.  
That's why Nino walked in to see Marinette with her tongue rolled and her eyes crossed, while Chat Noir bared his teeth, and used his index fingers as horns on top of his head. Marinette bit her lip.

"Sorry Nino," she muttered.

"Are you two ready yet?" He asked.

"Almost, I just have to fix Chats hair. _Again_." Alya glanced over at Chat who flashed her a cheesy smile. He'd messed it up by jumping back and forth to make faces through the tent flap. Alya tutted, but she smiled. Dealing with these two together was like herding cats. Nino took Marinette by the arm and dragged her out of the tent. Marinette stuck her tongue out at Chat as she left, so he grinned back.

"You stand here and pretend to be talking," Nino directed, "I'll be back in a minute. To tell you what to do."

Mylene and Max were pretending to be Alya and Nino chatting with Marinette at the side of the road. Other class members were scattered around the street to be extras. Chloe had yet to turn up, and Chat was hoping she wouldn't. He was having fun acting with his friends as himself, his true self, rather than perfection embodied, and he didn't want Chloe to turn up and start picking on people. Since no one was there to stop them yet, Kim wandered over to join Max and the others.

"Do you think Chat Noir will talk to us?" He asked Marinette.

"Sure, just say hi and start talking," she shrugged.

"What, just talk to him? What would I even say?" Kim asked urgently.

"How about, "thanks for saving me from the man that transformed into a jaguar"?" Max suggested.

"Or thanks for rescuing us last time we helped Nino with one of these things and got trapped in school," Marinette offered.

"Or thanks for saving me when Alix became the Timetuner and tried to steal my energy," Mylene suggested.

"Or thank you for helping me when Hawk Moth took control of me," Max said.

Marinette bit her bottom lip. Chat Noir had helped Kim a lot that day. Not all of it was for the best. Kim put his hands on his hips and gave an unimpressed face.

"Alright, I get it, I'll just be grateful he's here," Kim tutted.

"Grateful who's here?" Alya asked as she wandered over.

"Grateful Chat Noir is here," Kim explained. "It's awesome of him to come and help out Nino like this."

Chat appeared from nowhere with a pun ready to go. "Don't you mean _paw_ some?"

Max adjusted his glasses nervously. Mylene became too star struck to talk. Kim's mouth became a circle of surprise, but then he broke into a grin.

"Sure, pawesome. And thanks for saving us like a million times," Kim grinned.

Chat shrugged, "Don't sweat it, it's a pleasure."

"Thanks anyway." Kim held out his hand for a fist pump. Chat smirked and bumped his fist.

Max gasped under his breath. Kim couldn't stop grinning. Marinette shrunk back so she could admire the faces of her friends. Every single one of them seemed utterly delighted and awed by the presence of a hero, and she was the one who brought him. Their words merged into a single muted mess to her, as she was busy focusing on the sunshine captured in their smiles. Then there was a moment where she realised everyone was staring at her. Her smile drooped.

"Huh?"

"Get your head in the game girl!" Alya was somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. She was pretty stressed on Nino's behalf, but Marinette always amused her in some way or another.

"Put this on your lapel, under your shirt, and put this in your back pocket," Nino said.

He handed her a lapel microphone, which was wired down to a pack to fit in her pocket. Marinette raised an eyebrow. Nino was getting access to better technology than he had before.

"Are you sure it won't break when we roll across the floor?" Marinette asked, uncertainly.

"Well... I actually haven't thought of that. Wear it anyway. We really need the audio," Nino said.

Marinette shrugged and agreed. Her hair didn't even flap as she moved. Alya had used so much of that awful tar-smelling hair spray that Marinette's hair was like cement. As if she realised she'd gone overboard and trying to apologise in some small way, Alya stepped forward and clipped the microphone into place for Marinette, and helped her tuck it out of view of the camera.

Nino cleared his throat, "Stay on this mark and talk through your lines, alright? When you get to the last line-"

"That's the cue to turn around and watch Chat act. Yes, you have told us precisely nineteen times now, Nino," Max stated.

Nino's shoulders sagged. Then he pulled his cap down, pointedly and huffed. "Then let's hope you'll get it right first time."

Let's just say they didn't. Chat winked at Mylene to wish her good luck, and she went so pink they had to wait for her to calm down before they could start filming. Then, Kim was on the side-lines making faces at Max to try and throw him off. It worked a couple of times. By the third time Max struggled through his lines regardless, and Nino grinned at him.

"That was perfect. You looked really distracted by the akuma. It'll be really realistic!" He beamed.

Max smirked at Kim, smugly, and Kim scoffed. He had been defeated this time. Now they got to watch as Chat Noir came swooping into the park they were acting in, and pretended to fight with the big green ball on a stick that Kim, Rose and Alya were trying to move and keep controlled even though it was a lot heavier than it looked.

"Cue Alix!" Nino called.

Alix came gliding out from behind a tree on her roller skates. She had been painted a light shade of green with heavy black eye liner and lipstick to offset it. The camera zoomed in on her. She gave an evil cackle, said something to Hawk Moth, and raised her arm in the air. Sat on her forearm was a little silver ball, like a tennis ball but shiny, with a glowing red spot like a laser. It was a laser pointer.

"Excellent work on the robot," Alya whispered to Rose.

"Thanks. Max made the laser, I just put it together, and Nathanael painted it," Rose explained.

"Well it looks awesome," Alya winked.

"Shh!" Kim hissed.

Alix was on stage and she was in the zone. Kim wasn't about to let that get interrupted by whispering. Nino clearly thought she was in her element too, because he kept filming longer than he needed to. Right up until she was improvising, moved too far without paying attention, tripped on a crack on the path and fell over. Marinette gasped at the same time as Chat Noir and Kim. All of them hurried over at the same time. Nino stopped recording and joined the close to check she was ok. She was fine. Alix stood up, dusted herself down, and smirked.

"I can take a battering just as well as I can give one!" She declared.

"Yeah but you get more than you give!" Kim grinned.

"You wanna bet?" Alix grinned.

"Always. I'll get Max!" Kim set off, about to run, and Alya dragged him back.

"NOT UNTIL THIS IS OVER!" She hissed.

Nino realised in that moment that Alya was probably a little more stressed than he was, since he had put her in charge of everything. He decided that it was probably best to speed up now.

"Everyone into first positions, Mari, I need to talk to you!" Nino yelled.

Everyone shuffled off to set up their positions for the jump. The girls wandered over to grab the air mattress they were borrowing from Kim's gym, and drag it into position. Marinette wandered over to Nino.

"We'll do your close up here, now, and then go into the jump. Now this part is important. Watch out for that guy on the bike, aim for the mattress, and please don't die!" Nino said, seriously.

Once they were prepared for the jump, the nerves were beginning to set in for Marinette. It was funny, she'd done it before, when it was really dangerous, without thinking, but now she was nervous. Chat saw that nervousness in her eyes and body language as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm pretty indestructible in this suit," he winked.

"Positions everyone!" Nino called.

Marinette and Chat separated, to where they needed to go. She knelt down to put Tikki safely in the grass. She didn't want her to get hurt. The others crowded around the stage area, ready to film. There was pin drop silence. Everyone was watching, eagerly. Chat Noir looked at the ball of green and Alix stood nearby with her arm stretched. Marinette took a deep, shaky breath.

"And _action_..."

In the blink of an eye Marinette and Chat Noir went from standing still to laying tangled on the mattress nearby. It was pretty anticlimactic, but there were cheers anyway.

"Ready for your close-up guys?" Nino beamed.

"Nice jump," Chat grinned.

"Nice land. I thought cats always landed on their feet. Every time you fall you seem to fight that stereotype," Marinette said.

Chat shrugged. "What can I say? I'm not a stereotype."

The close up required chat to lay on the floor and Marinette to lay on top of him. It was super awkward. Chat kept rolling out the puns, which did not help. When Nino said action Marinette was struggling to remember her lines. Chat didn't have that problem. There was only one thing on his mind.

"Tickle my bell," chat said suddenly.

Marinette flushed red and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?!"

Chat blushed hard and had to glance away from her, mumbling, "not like that!"

"CUT!"

Nino's voice rang out across the entire area. She sat up and squatted in the road beside him. He propped himself up on his arms.

"Nor like that," he repeated seriously.

"Back to third positions everyone!" Nino called.

"Then what are you on about?" Marinette asked.

"My bell," he tapped the shiny golden bell on his collar. "You played with it on the day it happened. Remember?"

"Oh. Right, ok," that made more sense.

"It's just, it rings, and the microphone is right there, so if you tap it like you did last time-"

"Yeah, no, I get it. I'll do it this time," she nodded.

"Guys! Third positions!" Nino called.

"Just pretend we're standing up in a packed lift or something. Imagine were somewhere where we have to be close, but not intimate... y'know? Might help make things less awkward," Chat suggested.

Third position for them was laying down on top of each other. Marinette took his advice. It was easier to remember her lines now. Even to improvise a little. Then, on her cue, Marinette heaved herself to her feet and held a hand out for Chat Noir to pull himself up too. They ended up standing close, but not as close as some people would like.

"NOW KISS!"

Marinette turned her head sharply, " _ALYA_!"

"WHAT?! That was _Rose_!" Alya complained in offence.

"ROSE!" Marinette corrected.

From behind her hands Rose muttered, "Sorry, I got caught up in the moment."

Chat laughed. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"That's a wrap folks, thanks for helping out," Nino called.

Marinette wandered over to where she put Tikki, and knelt down to scoop her back up. in her palm, Tikki beamed up at her. "That was brilliant Marinette, you could be a hero of Paris if you keep this up!"

"Ha-ha very funny," Marinette chuckled.

Tikki giggled. She sounded like a twinkling bell when she did. Marinette thought it sounded beautiful.

"Whatcha doing princes?" Chat asked from behind.

Marinette leapt to her feet, and hid Tikki in her jacket as she turned to face him. "Oh just err, tying my shoelaces!"

"Ah. Kim and Alix are about to race. Wanna watch?" Chat asked.

"I have to go home, I'm helping in the bakery tonight," Marinette explained.

"I'll walk you home," Chat offered.

Marinette gave him a funny look. "It's literally across the road."

"Yeah, but I'll still walk you home. anyway I feel like a cookie after all this acting!" He grinned.

Her stomach grumbled. They'd been working for hours and no one had thought to bring snacks since the bakery was so close. They were all pretty hungry.

"Fine, this way," she beckoned.

Chat beamed, and bowed so she could lead the way. She rolled her eyes, shook her head, and took the lead with him following obediently. Nino and Alya shared a look. It was almost suspicious how well those two got along.


	3. Chapter 3

Things were quiet for a while. It was the longest Hawk Moth had gone between akumas and Adrien was beginning to miss Ladybug. The gloomy look was beginning to lose sympathy from Plagg.

"You shouldn't wish for an akuma y'know. It's peaceful without them, you shouldn't want them," Plagg insisted firmly.

"I know, but it's been almost a month! Usually there's at least one a week," Adrien groaned.

"If you miss her that much why don't you try phoning her. It's a lot safer for everyone else," Plagg said, sarcastically.

"Do you think she'd pick up?" Adrien asked.

Plagg shrugged. "I hope so for my sake."

Adrien tapped his desk thoughtfully. He real did want to see his lady...

"Plagg... claws out."

Chat Noir wandered back and forth across his room with the staff in his hand waiting for her to pick up. She didn't. He groaned and tried again. She still didn't pick up. Third time wasn't the charm either. He threw the staff across his room in frustration and it landed on his bed.

"It's no good Plagg she's not Ladybug right now so she doesn't have the phone!" Chat complained.

"If she's not answering, who's talking?" Plagg asked from inside the ring.

Chat frowned. His attention turned to a faint talking coming from over near his bed. He frowned, and picked up the staff. When he'd thrown it, it had phoned Marinette. She had answered.

"Chat? Chat Noir?"

"Um, hi princess, I didn't mean to phone you, I guess it was a butt dial," he apologised.

"Oh. Ok cool. How are you doing anyway? I mean there hasn't been an akuma in a while, what are you doing as you?"

"As opposed to?"

"As opposed to whoever you are normally,"

"I…" how could he tell her that he was lonely enough to try and call Ladybug because he didn't have anyone else to hang out with?

"Mari?" a voice called out of shot.

"Yeah papa?" she called.

"me and your mother are having a competition again. We need a taste tester, can you help?"

Chat's ears drooped. his father hadn't spoken to him for two days now because he was busy working. Marinette's wanted her to join in with the fun side of the work. She was so lucky. Her eyes sparkled at him as she grinned.

"How about it kitty? Wanna come taste test with me?"

Desperately! But he couldn't let err know that. he was a cool cat after all. "I'll have to check my schedule." He glanced to the left for a second, and then immediately said, "I'll be there before you can say meow."

"In a meow or two would have been better," she said.

"Very a-mew-sing princess. I'll be there soon," he grinned.

"I'll tell papa," she grinned back.

She hung up and Chat lit up. her parents baked the best bread in the city, and that talent spilt over into their other treats. Plus they were kind and warm and welcoming to everyone. Maybe that's where Marinette got it from. It wouldn't be like hanging out with Ladybug, because hanging with your friends and hanging with the love of your life are entirely different things, but it was better than hanging around his bedroom being lonely. Within minutes of leaving his bedroom window, he was swinging down through the city streets, over to that pretty little bakery where his friend was waiting for him. the bell tinkled as he pushed the door open, and a blast of warmth filled every part of him that the February air had chilled. The bakery was empty.

"Marinette?" he called.

Seconds later she appeared through a door from the kitchen and grinned at him. "You were right. quick as a cat."

he warmed even further as he grinned back at her. This side of her, the one she never let Adrien see, it was amazing. She was cool and collected and funny about it. she didn't treat him like some kind of hero, she treated him like a friend she'd known for years. He loved it.

"Come on, we're working in here today," she beckoned for him to follow.

She led him into the kitchen. It was more like a house kitchen than one for a professional bakery. There wasn't a wall, so they had red and white lino instead of the wood around the rest of the room. There were pink polka dot curtains and pink cupboards and pink lamp shades to match the floor. A pair of oven mitts were sitting on the oven door handle. They had two ovens, to double the number of products they could cook at the same time. Along the sides and table, they had laid out ingredients for prep. Twice the normal amount, since they were preparing for both of them to compete.

"These are my parents. Parents, this is Chat," Marinette explained.

Tom gave him a smile like Santa Claus smiles at a toddler. "Hello! Thank you for saving Paris with our dau-"

"Daughter's favourite hero, Ladybug!" Sabine corrected sharply.

They couldn't let Marinette find out that they knew their daughter was the city's hero. They didn't understand how she didn't know though. They raised her from a bump in a belly to a brilliant young lady, and she thought hiding her eyes made them unable to recognise her.

Chat Noir shrugged, "it's nothing, really. Thank _you_ for having this amazing bakery!"

"our pleasure," Sabine smiled.

This bakery, and Marinette, was her pride and joy, and Tom's dream. She and tom had scrimped and saved to buy it, and now it was popular across all of Paris, and she couldn't be prouder. Especially now she could share it with her daughter and her daughter's friends.

"Chat' going to help me judge, so if you disagree with our decision, blame him," Marinette said.

Chat laughed, but it was tinged with nerve. She was joking, but he really didn't like having the blame put on him. or being trapped. Especially in small spaces. These were things he knew he had to deal with one day, but for now, they were best left unmentioned. Tom picked up two stalls from the breakfast bar, and set them up in front of the kitchen so they could sit on them and see the whole kitchen at the same time. Chat held out his hand to help her climb up onto the stall. She took it, even though she didn't need it, and Tom raised an eyebrow at Sabine. Sabine giggled. She picked up an egg whisk.

"You're about to be beaten!" she grinned.

Tom gave a huge belly laugh, and picked up a spatula, "You'll flip when you see what I make!"

Sabine laughed louder. Marinette groaned, and blushed with embarrassment as Chat beamed with utter joy. He was finally in his element. Bad pun central. Who would have thought Marinette would live there?!

"Ready? Set?" Marinette asked. Chat chuckled as her parents tried to psych each other out from opposite ends of the kitchen. then, dramatically, Marinette declared, "Preheat the oven!"

And away they went. Immediately they set off to their individual ovens to preheat them to the exact temperate they wanted, and raced to the sink to wash their hands and prepare.

"Now we make a bad commentary," Marinette explained, quietly.

Chat's eyes widened. "Commentary? Like on a real baking show? I don't know anything about baking."

"You don't need to. It's easy, watch," she said.

She and Chat looked back at the competitors as they started hurrying to their first ingredients. Marinette cleared her throat.

"Welcome to the second Dupain-Cheng bake off of the year! it's the 23rd of February, it's 4 degrees outside, but in here, the action is really heating up. what degree is the oven mum?"

"Two hundred dear," Sabine said.

"Two hundred degrees in the kitchen, wow! Time to welcome our new commentator, the one, the only, the amazing Chat Noir, say hi kitty," Marinette said.

"Um, hi," Chat said, suddenly feeling nervous. Marinette nodded at him, encouragingly. He cleared his throat. "Hi, it's great to be here on this brisk morning. We've got great expectations for how today is going to go, do you want to explain what we're baking this morning Mari?"

"Of course Chat. Today is – hey what are you baking this time papa?" she asked.

"Iced biscuits. Your mother said hers sold faster on valentine's day because they were better. That's just not true," Tom smirked.

"He's upset because valentine's day brought LOVE into my biscuits and not his!" Sabine stated.

"Oooh, trash talk! Chat, you must have some good come backs for trash talk, tell us about some," Marinette grinned.

"Certainly, you can't fight akumatized villains without learning how to trash talk. I wouldn't repeat any around you though, you can't be rude when a lady is present," Chat said.

"I'm sure Ladybug will take no offence from that," Tikki muttered to Marinette, and Marinette repeated it.

Chat's higher cheeks turned pink, but he kept his cool. "Obviously Ladybug is a lady, but she's also a hero. She can trash talk with the best of them."

"Can she now?" Sabine raised an eyebrow at Marinette.

"moving on!" Marinette said briskly when she caught her mother's eyes, "Looks like Tom's using just a smidge too much butter, and either Sabine is pushing the boat out or she's forgotten to use the eggs, I can't wait to see how that will affect the final products,"

"I have a _feline_ they'll still be absolutely _paw_ -some!" Chat beamed.

Marinette smiled to see him slipping back into his comfort zone, but groaned at his puns. "That was absolutely _claw_ -full!"

Chat turned his head, his eyes pointed sharply, eyes shining, with a beam so bright it could block out the sun, and pointed it right at her. she covered her face with her hands and squealed at herself shamefully. Her parents laughed at her too. There was no sympathy in the pun-dome.

"ooh, tom is already beating his mix together, Sabine, do you think you'll be able to catch up?" Chat asked.

"you can't rush _purr_ -fection," Sabine chuckled.

"Excellent ans- _fur_!" Chat beamed.

"No more bad puns or I swear I'm walking out," Marinette groaned.

"No more bad puns, I _paw_ mise," Chat's eyes twinkled.

Marinette leapt to her feet, "THAT'S IT!"

Chat reached out to stop her, catching onto her arm as he bit back a laugh and insisted, "No, Mari, no, I'm sorry!"

"You're on thin ice cat!" She warned.

"Sorry," he beamed.

She shook her head and smirked. she should have expected this before she invited him over. This was her fault. Even so it made her cringe. she took her place back on the stall, beside Chat, and they went back to their bad commentary.

"I'm going to put so much love in this that they'll put our anniversary to shame, so just you watch out!" Tom smirked.

"Hey, Tom?"

When he turned around Sabine blew a handful of flour into his face, so the front of his apron was covered, and he sneezed. Sabine laughed and went back to mixing up her batter.

"Now that's what I call flour power," Chat glanced over at Marinette, waiting for the reaction.

"I don't know about the peace but there's a lot of love going into this work, apparently," Marinette added.

Chat laughed brightly. She clearly hated that he had dragged her down to his level, but it was so much fun down there that she stuck it out and joined in anyway.

"Time for the rolling pins," Marinette declared as Tom brought out his rolling pin.

"Maybe for Tom, but Sabine's got a trick up her sleeve!" Chat said.

Tom wrinkled his nose. "A trick?"

Sabine had picked up a lemon from the fruit basket while no one was paying attention, and now she was adding genuine lemon juice to her biscuits to boost the flavour.

"What'd you think of this secret weapon Marinette?" Chat asked.

"It'll put a sour look on Tom's face that's for sure," Marinette grinned.

"I thought we were done with bad puns?" Chat teased.

"shut up kitty," Marinette smirked.

Tikki laughed a little too hard, and had to cover her mouth with her hand to make sure she wasn't heard.

"Now this is a key part of the final design. The shape of the biscuit will determine how many you can fit neatly into the oven at the same time, and how many trips in the oven it will take to finish your whole batch. It was also give you a limited space that your finally icing designs will have to fit into. Take that all into consideration if you want to win this month's top prize," Marinette warned.

"And what is this month's top prize?" Adrien asked.

Marinette frowned and glanced around for inspiration. Her eye fell on the side where her father was working. She grinned. in the most dramatic tone she could muster, she declared, "The spatula of destiny!"

Chat Noir gasped in awe automatically, and then it hit him what she had said, and he gave her a funny look that made her burst into laughter. He joined her. nothing made them laugh more all day than the spatula of destiny.

"What's so amazing about the spatula of destiny?"

"Well, it's a spatula…"

Chat Noir was already beginning to lose it as she tried to think of thing to make it mystical and worth winning.

"It's got magic powers!" she laughed.

Giggles slipped through Chat's serious face, "Like- li-" snort, "Like what?"

"It can, ooh! It can show you your destiny!" She almost lost it too, when Chat broke and let a laugh slip though, "It can! And – shut up – and it can, it can force you to answer truthfully to something!"

Chat was close to tears now, and Marinette wasn't far behind him. Sabine and Tom shared a knowing, yet amused look, about how insane these children were these days. They tried to regain control as an oven buzzed and brought them back to attention. It was time to start making the icing.

"Black isn't usually very appealing Tom, could be a mistake," Chat warned.

"Red from Sabine. Is that any more appealing to you?" Marinette asked.

"Strawberries are red, they're very appealing," Chat said.

"I'm so glad you didn't say banana," she said.

" _Orange_ you glad," he grinned.

Marinette walked into that one and still groaned, "NO."

They stayed quiet for a minute as they watched her parents piping the icing onto the perfectly baked biscuits. They were professional right to the end.

"Tom's gone for a perfect circle while Sabine has gone for more of an oval. Do you think that will effect taste?" Chat asked.

Marinette gave him an unimpressed look. "Do you?"

"Fair enough, silly question," he shrugged.

Tom laid the biscuits onto a tray and began cleaning up his station. Sabine squeezed past him to grab the spatula to move her biscuits.

"Sabine goes in for a sneak peak of Tom's biscuits!" Chat teased.

"Nothing she can do about it now, I've got perfection down," Tom smirked.

"Bring them here and prove it!" Marinette said.

Tom chuckled and brought the tray over to them on their stalls. His smile grew as Marinette and Chat burst into laughter. His biscuits were plain except for a black paw print with claws, just like Chat Noir's logo.

"Low blow papa!" Marinette laughed.

"Wait till you see what your mother made," Chat gestured to the tray Sabine was bringing over.

A dozen little ladybugs nestled together with their red smooth between little black spots. They were fair prettier than Tom's. Chat picked up a ladybug first so Marinette reached for a paw. She broke a bit off and slipped it into her pocket for Tikki's opinion. Then they bit into the next biscuit. Again, Marinette slipped another piece to Tikki.

"They're both _claw_ some," Chat murmured between mouthfuls of crumbs.

The ladybug tasted tangy with the boost of lemon. It crumbled on the tongue, sugary and sweet. Utterly beautiful. Whereas the paw was smooth and melted in the mouth, and tasted of vanilla. Gorgeous. Chat Noir had no idea which was better, but he was completely delighted to have two delicious biscuits to eat.

"Which is better?" Marinette asked.

"Who knows? All I know is when you get to heaven, this is what all the food is like," chat said.

"Oh you little charmer," Sabine chuckled.

"What'd you think Tikki?" Marinette whispered.

"I like the ladybug, but I might be bias," Tikki smiled.

"I like the Ladybugs," Marinette said. It felt smug to say that. "But the paws taste better."

"Yes! I knew I could count on you!" Tom beamed.

"You get final say Chat. What do your animal instincts tell you?" Sabine asked.

Chat glanced between each family member. Each looked eager to know his answer. At first, he thought he'd just agree with Marinette and save time, but it felt too much like a brag to pick himself. And, to be honest, he preferred lemon.

"I prefer the ladybugs," he shrugged.

Sabine beamed, and Tom groaned. Marinette chuckled and Chat bit his bottom lip nervously.

"I'm going to put a no pets sign on the bakery!" Tom joked.

"We're just going to have to sell them and let the public decide," Marinette shrugged.

"I'll put them in the shop window," Tom declared.

"No, you'll put mine in the back, _I'll_ put them in the shop window," Sabine countered.

"How about I do it?" Marinette offered.

"You favour your father, you're probably in league with him!" Sabine said.

"I'll go too, to make sure it's fine," Chat said.

Even the arguments in this family were given with a hint of amusement. Marinette carried Tom's and Chat carried Sabine's, and they wandered into the bakery.

"If we put them next to the till they can work on their sales techniques," Chat suggested.

"Until one of them is the only one in the bakery and the only one who gets to sell them. No we'll put them in the window, where they can be seen," Marinette said.

She and Chat slotted them into place in the window so that all the passers-by could see them plain and simple. Marinette dusted of her hands and turned back to smile at Chat. He had crumbs all around her mouth which made her chuckle, but he didn't seem to notice.

"D'you know what we could do to find the winner?" Chat asked.

It felt like a trap, but she was okay with that. "What?"

"We could ask, the spatula of truth!" He said, spookily.

"It's the spatula of _destiny_ ," she corrected.

"Oh because that's so much better!" He scoffed.

Both of them laughed as they wandered back into the kitchen. Sabine was waiting for them.

"Are you staying for dinner Chat?" She asked.

"Um, I don't want to be a burden," he said.

"You wouldn't be. We're having chicken," she said.

"Cat's like poultry," Marinette teased.

"I haven't got much time," Chat said.

Really, he should have been back at home by now. Natalie would flip if she realised he wasn't there. In another hour she'd been heading up to his bedroom to find him.

"It shouldn't take long to cook," Sabine said.

"Well if it's not too much bother-" Chat began.

"I'll set the table," Marinette declared.

Chat Noir had his first family dinner in a long time that night. It wasn't much, just chicken and a few vegetables, and they had to finish eating fast so Tom could reopen the bakery. Even so, all four of them were gathered together, chatting about the day's events and making extra jokes that they had thought of but missed the opportunity to use. Sabine took the empty plates to the kitchen, even though Chat volunteered to, and left the children at the table as she went back down to the bakery.

"Your family is great princess. All those puns and all the food, you must be so happy," he smiled.

"Sure. They're super embarrassing, but I love them," she shrugged.

Chat smiled a weak smile. The dinner wasn't the best he'd ever had, after all he had a personal chef, but they were bakers not chefs, and they did their best, so it tasted... it tasted like it had more love in it. That might be sappy, but let me put it a different way.

Have you ever been out on a cold winter day, where your shivering and you can't feel your nose and your fingers are blue? Imagine you were like that now, with the cold still biting at you, and your starving. Now imagine you buy a packet of fresh from the fryer chips, with your chosen sauce and salt and vinegar if you like. It's the way they instantly warm your poor blue fingers, and make them feel a little wiggly, like you can feel the life flowing back into them. Or the way they smell making your mouth water, and your stomach beg for a taste. But most importantly, the way they make you grin with satisfaction, even if they don't usually taste good, because it's exactly what you needed at that moment. _That's_ what made that dinner taste so damn good.

"Chat, are you ok?" She asked, uncertainly.

"Yeah. But I have to go, and I really don't want to, so I'm just psyching myself up," he said sadly.

She smiled to herself, and nudged hum playfully. "You can come back anytime kitty. We'll put in a little cat flap!"

"Thanks, but I think I'd stick to your bedroom window, it'd save money," he laughed.

"Any time Chat. Especially Thursdays. I'm usually free on Thursdays," she said.

"Maybe I'll come and see you on Thursday then."

"Sure. Whenever you want."

Chat smiled, and stood up. "Thanks princess. It's been amazing. We should do it again sometime. Maybe Thursday."

Marinette laughed at how he said it. He didn't want to sound like he was imposing, but he wanted to come back. He wanted to be welcome back any time like she said.

"I'll see you Thursday Chat."


	4. Chapter 4

Chat had been visiting Marinette every Thursday for almost month now. The times changed depending on his schedule and if there was an akuma or not. Sometimes he was after diner, and sometimes the bakery was shut, he hadn't managed to time it, so he was there before dinner yet. Not after the scolding Natalie gave him for being late to the latest fitting.  
Chat was out on patrol on Wednesday. It wasn't his day to go on patrol, but Ladybug still wasn't picking up, and he hadn't seen her in over a month, so this was some desperate attempt to bump into her. he ached to see her. he'd been jumping around like a mad march hare for two hours now, and no sign of her. every flash of red made his heart sore, only for bitter disappointment to send them crashing back down. Somewhere near enough to hear their music, but too far away to hear the words, someone was listening to music. Curiosity dragged the cat after it.  
The beat of the music could be heard from the other side of the street. Chat Noir stood on the roof of the building across the road, and looked towards the balcony of the bakery. He could hear the lyrics now, and more importantly, he could hear the voice yelling along to them. Inside, Marinette was dancing wildly around her bedroom, swinging her hips and throwing her arms along to the beat with no sense of how much she looked like an octopus that just slipped on a banana peel. Her hair was pulled free from its usual bunches, and fell freely around her shoulders, framing her face when she was still enough for him to see her face. She yelled along to the words, even as she panted between flailing movements.

"WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU _STRONGER_! STAND A LITTLE _TALLER_! DOESNT MEAN I'M LONE-LY WHEN I'M ALONE!"

He peered through her window, watching her in amusement. He leaned in to call her. "Mari!"

She was yelling too loudly to hear him. "WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES A _FIGHTER_! FOOTSTEPS EVEN _LIGHTER_! DOESN'T MEAN I'M O-VER 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONE!"

He climbed down into her room, down the bed ladder and behind her, calling her name all the time.

"MARINETTE!" He shouted.

Marinette stumbled to a stop, shocked by the interruption. She was flushed and out of breath. Chat Noir tilted his head and watched her, intensely. She panted, as she broke into a grin, and reached over to switch off the music. The sudden silence made her think she'd gone momentarily deaf, but her stubborn, loud heartbeat, and breathless gasping proved her wrong.

"Oh, hey Chat!" She beamed.

Chat gave her a concerned look. "You ok?"

"Yeah, wanna dance?" She grinned.

Chat raised an eyebrow. "Dance?"

She put a hand on her hip and smirked. "It's moving your body in time to music."

"I know what dancing is," he bit back a grin.

He really did like when Marinette teased him. It was better than when she gushed about him or stammered through a sentence because of how star struck she was. Teasing was more like bonding. It was fun.

"Great, want to dance or not?" She asked.

She flicked on the music, lower this time so they could still talk, and Chat listened to the words. They took him by surprise.

"This is a break up song!"

"Yeah," she laughed.

She was very happy for someone listening to break up songs.

"You're not supposed to dance to break up songs!" He said.

"Break up songs carry the most power. Makes me feel strong. Dance with me, and I'll show you," she held out a hand and tried to pull him along too.

Chat Noir was a gymnast when he wanted to be, but right now he was stiff as a board, even while she was light as a feather.

"Come on, you said I should see you dance, now prove it!" She grinned.

"I don't usually dance like this," he said.

"Sing with me. The moves will follow!"

"I'm not good at singing."

"Nino says if you can't sing well, sing loud, and sing louder if you don't know the lyrics. At least you're joining in and if people don't like it they can go away or be louder!" Marinette pulled away and hurried to the stereo.

It was difficult to argue her point, given that he never wanted to disagree with Nino, but he also wanted to get back out there and find Ladybug. He was really missing her now.

"Mari-"

"DANCE KITTY!"

Marinette raised the volume till they couldn't hear each other talking, and yelled along to the words. She went dancing around the room with no regard to safety. Standing in plain sight on her jewellery box, Tikki was dancing too. Tikki had started the urge to dance, and she wasn't about to shy away because Chat was here. Anyway, his attention was purely and singly on Marinette.

"HEEEEY I'LL BE GONE TODAY, BUT I'LL BE BACK ALONG THE WAY! SEEMS LIKE EVERY WHERE I GO, THE MORE I SEE THE LESS I KNOW, BUT I KNOW! ONE THING! I LOVE YOU!"

Chat Noir frowned. He had to turn his head to continue watching her. Her eyes were closed as she sang, joyfully, even as she got closer to the open trap door.

"I LOVE YOU!"

His eyes widened. He noticed the trap door first.

"I LOVE YOU!"

She was getting closer and closer. His heart beat faster.

"I LOVE YOU!"

Chat Noir darted forward and grabbed her hand. He pulled her forward and lifted her up by her waist to avoid falling down the hole. Marinette found herself swept off her feet, giggling manically, and a little breathless. There was a split second where neither of them moved. She stared up at him, surprised to have been plucked out of the air so easily, and he stared back, bewildered by her attitude. Then a mischievous glint sparked in those midnight blue eyes of hers. She took his hand, and yanked him around with her, forcing him into a box step. Chat Noir was taken aback by her mood. She was practically giddy. Giddy people were something he didn't see often.  
Once the confusion and surprise drifted away, he got caught up in the joy she was radiating. Chat wanted to dance too, but she was holding him so far out that they could barely move together though. nothing like when they danced at Chloe's party. He knew this wasn't how she could dance. He knew she could do so much better.

"You're holding back," he said.

"Shut up and dance with me!" She laughed.

Chat Noir laughed back. "I will, but you gotta stop holding back!"

He pulled her closer, one hand on her hip and the other in her hand. They twirled around the room like sleeping beauty and her prince together. Tikki stopped dancing for a moment to watch them. Marinette's hair swooshed around her shoulders as easily as his tail swept through his legs. He was light on his claws, and she was as graceful as a ladybug. It was the first time in a long time she didn't trip and fall over herself. joy made her a ballerina. Tikki beamed with delight. Right up until Chat stepped on his own tail, stumbled forward and accidentally sent Marinette crashing to the floor. With nothing else to latch onto, she grabbed Chat, and yanked him down after her.

 **CRASH!**

Down they both went, laying on the floor and groaning until the groaning became laughter and the laughter died into massive grins. Chat lay flat on his back staring up at the ceiling, and gave a satisfied sigh.

"I needed that. Do you know in the whole time we've been hanging out there hasn't been one akuma?" he said.

"I've noticed. Why?" she asked.

Chat's smile faded. "I haven't seen my lady in over a month. I miss her."

Marinette had no idea where his hand was in relation to hers, so she threw her arm out to give him a reassuring pat on whatever it landed on. In the end, his tail entwined with her fingers.

"I'm sure she misses you too." She didn't. Marinette couldn't tell him that though. For two, very good reasons. "Maybe Chloe will upset someone today. She's very good at that."

Chat wanted to argue, but Chloe caused more akumas than anyone else in Paris (besides Hawk Moth) and it was hard to defend that. he rolled over onto his side, so she did too, and they were laying face to face like they were gossiping at a sleep over.

"What's going on? Why are you so happy?" he asked.

Marinette's gaze flicked over at Tikki for a moment. Tikki winked at her, before flitting over to hide behind her pen pot. Her gaze turned back to chat's huge emerald, cat-like stare. It was almost like he could see into her soul, which was a little unnerving, but made her feel like she could trust him.

"Well, there's this boy I like, like, _like-_ like, and today he… it sounds really pathetic," she wrinkled her nose.

"No tell me, please?" he begged.

He hadn't seen her like this before. all excited and love struck about some boy. He wondered who it was, and what he did to make her like this. it was adorable. That little light in her eyes seemed to get brighter and her voice got so tangled with joy and affection that she squealed and covered her face. it made Chat smile. This had to be what Plagg put up with whenever he talked about Ladybug.

"It sounds SO DUMB!" She laughed, but whatever it was, she didn't seem to care because she giggled, took a deep breath, and tried to explain what happened. "So yesterday we were talking and my friend Alya, you know Alya, from the film?"

"I know Alya."

"She said "let's go sit next to-" … let's call him…" Her gaze fell on King Louis XIV on the front of her history text book. "Louis…"

"Alright. So you sat next to _Louis,_ " Chat said, pointedly.

He felt excited to be told a secret about her crush. He saw shows and movies about girls gossiping with their closest friends about boys and things, and even though he wasn't a girl, he knew this meant she trusted him, and it made him proud to be a part of her closest friends. The exclusive circle had about five people in it. Nino, Alya, Adrien, Tikki, and now Chat Noir. Even so, Adrien would _never_ find out about "Louis" if she could avoid it.

"Yeah… yeah Louis… anyway, so we're sitting there, and Chloe comes over, and drops a spider down my back and I just – oh it was so embarrassing! I threw my food _everywhere_! I was so angry! Like, urgh! So mad!"

even now her hands balled into fists and her ears turned red. In the back ground, Tikki mimed taking a deep breath, so Marinette did. Then she grinned. This all sounded vaguely familiar to Chat. Almost exactly like something that happened to Adrien yesterday, but he hadn't seen Chloe out of class, so there was no chance that Chloe could have anything to do with the way Marinette threw her food everywhere. His only conclusion? She must have thrown her food everywhere, twice.

"What'd Louis do?" Chat asked.

"He gave me his food."

"His food?"

"Yeah… Don't get me wrong, I know it's nothing _big,_ he'd probably do it for anyway but, God the fact he's kind enough to do that for anyone makes me love him so much more!"

Well that concludes it. it couldn't have possibly been Adrien that she loved, because it was _Alya_ that collected food from _everyone_ at the table. Even Rose and Juleka. And Nathanael had given her a whole apple, personally.

OH!

NINO GAVE A PACKET OF JAFFA CAKES!  
AND NINO WAS SITTING AT THE TABLE WHEN SHE SAT DOWN!  
 _MAYBE SHE HAD A CRUSH ON NINO!_

She did give up her favour from Chat for him. And she was never comfortable around Nino and Alya at the same time because they were always making googly eyes at each other or flirting or kissing. Because Marinette was _jealous! OR_ she was disgusted at her best friend and her boyfriend always kissing in front of her… Chat would need more information.

"So this… _Louis…_ what does he look like?" Marinette blushed.

The posters of Adrien were still hanging on the walls, all around them. pose after pose after pose, watching them, grinning at them, close to flirting in some poses. Each one made her heart tug and beat erratically. She was so hopelessly in love that she thought it would be utterly and completely obvious. Chat stared at her, eagerly, desperate for more info. Marinette licked her lip nervously.

"Well… he's… he's just so… he's-"

Beep-beep.

"AKUMA!"

Chat leapt to his feet like a bolt of lightning had hit him. he was upright in seconds, beaming excitedly and already hurrying towards the window, even as Marinette's heart beat three times faster, her stomach on the floor.

"I'll be back! I finally get to see her again!" he giggled manically.

Marinette watched him shoot off from the balcony on his staff, soaring into a shrinking shape way off on the horizon. Marinette couldn't help smirking. That cat must have missed her more than she could understand.

"You were just with her, you silly kitty," she chuckled.

"Mari, akuma! We have to go!" Tikki insisted.

"Cool your jets Tikki. Let's give him a minute to get out of sight, so we know he's not going to see us," Marinette said.

"I think he left too quickly to pay attention to us," Tikki said.

"You're probably right. Are you ready?"

"Ready!"

"Tikki, spots on!"

Chat was vibrating excitedly as he wandered back and forth, glancing about to try and spot Ladybug before she saw him. He failed. She landed behind him and made him jump.

"Hey kitty."

"LADYBUG!" He beamed.

He threw himself forward to hug her. Her eyes widened in surprise, and then she chuckled affectionately. Her cat had missed her. That was adorable. Chat leapt back and he beamed at her.

"Spots slowing you do my lady?" He grinned.

"Maybe you were just too excited to see me," she shrugged.

"Well seeing you is the highlight of my week."

"You must have had a pretty dark week."

"I've been spending it with a friend."

"A friend? Should I be jealous?" She teased.

Chat Noir shook his head and grinned, his eyes sparkling. "She has nothing on you."

Ladybug laughed. Her eyes shone just like his did and she muttered under her breath, "I wouldn't be so sure."

An explosion over by the river made her gasp, but Chat leapt into action, eager to show off to her. Chat Noir threw an arm around her waist and set the staff between his feet.

"Stay close my lady, and don't look down!"

"Wait - Chat - WAIT!"

Ladybug yelped as he kicked up the staff and they went arching through the air above the city and crashing down the other way. After a month of being on solid ground, she was now giving up the entire ability to control her movements. All she could do was cling to Chat and hope he was in control. Chat, spurred on by the way it made Ladybug cling to him, went faster. Her head was against his neck for a blissful ten seconds, that put her heart in her throat and made her knees weak. When they landed, she shoved him away viciously.

"I can do it myself!" She snapped.

Chat's ears drooped. "Sorry, I just-"

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in," the akuma sneered.

"No cat dragged me anywhere. I can fly on my own," Ladybug snarled.

Chat whined softly. Guiltily. He didn't want to show how her remark hurt him more than the akuma, but it did. No doubt.

"Is it too easy to ask why you ended up like this?" Chat asked.

"Like what?" The akuma asked.

"Akumatized," Ladybug said.

"I've been blessed with the power to exact justice on -"

"Let me guess," Ladybug interrupted.

At the same time all three of them said, "Chloe Bourgeois."

Ladybug felt a smug flicker in her chest. Chloe behaved herself well for the last month (she /was trying to be a better person after all) but she slipped up easily.

"Hurting her isn't a good way to get revenge," Ladybug warned.

"It's the only way she'll learn her lesson!" The akuma snarled.

"You'll have to go through us first!" Chat warned.

"There's more than way to skin a cat," the akuma sniggered.

The two of them stood back to back, automatically in sync enough to fight together. When Chat jumped from atop the carousel because his staff was stolen, Ladybug was there to catch him. When Ladybug rolled across the floor to get away, Chat was there to stand over her and defend her. When Ladybug paused to make sure Alya was sheltered from any potential injury, Chat was there to make sure the akuma didn't see where she was hidden. Sometimes, when he was waiting for an ambush, he got to watch the way she worked. That little frown of thought when she was about to use her lucky charm. That little spark when she finally had her eureka moment. She was so intelligent she made his heart beat faster. That smirk- oh that smirk!  
It was perfect. Close enough to evil that it reminded him how lucky he was to have her on his side, and yet so powerful it made Hawk Moth himself tremble. He felt it in his chest when she looked at him like that.

Bud-dum.

"Chat, grab that!" She pointed to a piece of guttering he was standing next to.

Obediently he grabbed it and dragged it over to Ladybug. She used it to create some kind of slip and slide, lured the akuma forward, and let him slip on the guttering, and he slammed down to the floor. She snatched up the hair comb pinned into his hair, dropped it, and stepped on it till it cracked.

"No more evil for you little akuma!" She caught it with the yo-yo, and beamed as it fluttered out, cured. "Bye-bye little butterfly!"

When Ladybug did her thing with the lucky charm and everything got fixed up again everyone usually watched the lights that fixed everything. Chat didn't. He watched Ladybug. Every time, she never failed to look awed by them. They lit up her face, shining her in eyes, and ruffled her hair like a mini hurricane around her. For a moment, just a moment, she wasn't the city's superhero. She wasn't strong, powerful, stubborn Ladybug. For a moment, a single, glorious moment, he caught a glimpse of who she was out of uniform. Just another kid his age, fascinated by the lights. In that moment, he could imagine them together out of uniform too. Just two young kids in love. She tore her gaze away, onto him, and flashed him one of those smiles. One of the victorious smiles that made his heart sing. She held out her fist, and he bumped it with his.

"Pound it!"

It should have felt amazing. They just beat an akuma in record time. But after a month of silence, it was all over too quickly. Chat's ears flattened.

"I guess I'll have to go back to darkness for a while," he muttered.

"Oh kitty. If you miss me that bad, call me," she said.

"I did! You ignored me!" He whined.

"Well some girls don't like cat calling," she shrugged.

He perked up. "Was that a pun?"

"Was it? I guess I've been missing you too," she scratched him under his chin and he fought the urge to purr.

"I knew you'd see things my way bugaboo," he beamed.

Beep-beep! "Gotta go. Catch you later."

Chat gave a loving sigh as he watched her swing away. Shakespeare was right. Parting was such sweet sorrow.

Marinette scratched Tikki between the antenna. It was Tikki's favourite spot. Marinette knew this because it made Tikki chirp. It was the cutest noise Marinette had ever heard. Tikki hid behind Marinette's computer and nibbled her cookie as Chat appeared in the window looking love struck.

"How'd it go?" Marinette smirked.

"Ama-zing!" Chat fell backwards onto the sofa, with a love filled sigh. "I didn't get to use my cataclysm, but- ah..."

Marinette grinned. "Sounds like valentine's day has come around again. Who is she?"

Chat Noir giggled like a school girl. Marinette raised an eyebrow. Was this what she was like when she talked about Adrien? It was cute. cuter since he was a cat, but still.

"I won't tell you her name until you tell me who Louis is, but we can call her... Betty," Chat declared.

Betty Boop looked good in polka-dots too. Marinette sat down on the floor beside the sofa and beamed at him. Alya never had a crush before she started dating Nino. This was the first time she'd get to dish. She didn't imagine doing it with Chat Noir of all people, but she didn't mind. Gossip was gossip.

"Tell me everything!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chat pawed at her hand playfully as she continued to ignore him. He was aiming for her pen, but he settled for getting her hand, as long as it got her attention. She was trying to get on with her work. It was hard enough to write when she lay on the sofa rather than sitting at her desk, but Chat had whined until she came over to pay a little more attention to him. Now she was sitting next to him trying to get this essay done before it was due in tomorrow and now his pawing was making her pen jump so it skidded across her page.

"Chat!" She huffed, "this is due in the morning!"

He knew that. He'd finished his two days ago. It had taken him about twenty minutes because he already wrote a similar essay while being home schooled. Marinette didn't have that opportunity. They had needed Ladybug, and her parents had needed her.

"You've been working on it all night!" He whined.

"It's important!" She argued.

"Take a break for a minute!" He whined.

"Kitty if I take a break every time you want attention, I'll never work again."

She tapped his nose with the pen, which made him make a little surprised face that made her laugh. He grinned. He liked that he could make her laugh without even trying.

"Purr-lease princess?" He purred.

Marinette dropped her hand into her lap. There was no way she was going to get around this. Chat was more distracting than an actual cat when he wanted to be. As much as that annoyed her, she knew she could outsmart it.

"If I take a break what'll we do instead?" She asked.

Chat hadn't thought that far ahead. He glanced around the room for something to entertain them. His eyes fell on a make-up box on the shelf. He perked up with delight. The make-up girls in the studio taught him how to do basic make up when they were looking after him while his father was busy. He could do a perfect base by the time he was nine, and almost perfect nail art when he was twelve. Of course, he'd been practicing on Chloe every time he learnt something new.

"Shall I do your nails?" He offered.

Of all the answers she could have expected, that wasn't one. She stared at him in surprise. That look made him smile. He also liked that he had layers she didn't expect, just like he didn't expect her to be so teasing when she wanted to be. They kept surprising each other.

"My nails?" She repeated.

"I'm good at nail art," he said.

"Why? Cats shouldn't to keep their claws clipped," she teased.

"Come on, two minutes at the most, and you'll have pretty nails too!" He insisted.

Marinette groaned. She knew he was coming over, she should have gotten this done earlier. She had been too busy laughing at the memory of last week. He had crash landed in a tree before coming to the balcony, and his hair was tangled with twigs. She'd had to pick them all out, which made him feel childish, but he liked it. Fingers running through his hair.

"If I let you do my nails, you have to let me get on with my work. It's due in-"

"In the morning, I know. When have I ever let you down?"

Oh, that cocky little smirk caused far more havoc than it avoided, but she didn't care. It was like he had taken her hand and asked her to go on an adventure with him. Marinette bit back a smirk, and set her work to the side. Chat beamed. He leapt to his feet and hurried over to the make-up box to gather up all the nail varnish he could find. He carried them cradled close to his chest.

"Sit on the floor with me," he beamed.

Marinette placed two cushions on the floor, one for her to sit on, and one for him. He was careful to sit entirely on his cushion. She didn't think much of it, but it was important to him that she knew he appreciated the thought.

"What'd you want me to do?" She asked, uncertainly.

"Stretch your fingers like this."

Chat held his hand up to her and stretched his fingers as wide as they would go. Marinette put her hand against his palm and stretched out her fingers so her fingers laid against his. Chat nodded approvingly.

"Now lay it here, on my knee," he said.

Marinette laid her hand on his knee obediently. Chat picked up a bottle of nail varnish and started unscrewing the top.

"Wait, don't I get to pick the colour?" She interrupted.

His eyes sparkled mischievously, and he gave an impish grin that made Marinette feel a little nervous, but smile back anyway.

"What?" She asked nervously.

He said nothing, but laid one hand on top of hers so she couldn't pull it away, and she couldn't see what he was doing. Marinette watched timidly, trying to catch a glimpse of what he was up to. The only time she got close to catching a glimpse was when he lifted her hand gently, and blew on her nails to try and dry them faster.

"Have you got a hair dryer or something?" He asked.

"A hair dryer? This isn't very professional," she smirked.

"This will be a mani-purr fit for a princess, cats honour."

He raised three fingers on one hand, and crossed his heart with the other. It didn't instil Marinette with confidence, but she accepted it anyway.

"There's a hair dryer in the second drawer," she nodded towards her desk drawers.

"Stay here," Chat said.

"Yes sir!" Marinette saluted with the unpainted hand.

Chat chuckled. He unfolded his legs from underneath him and stood up so quickly he almost stumbled on his own tail.

"Never has there been a tail of such woe and the one belonged to this kitty-o," Marinette chuckled.

As he dug through her drawers, he chuckled to himself. Her puns were getting better. And by better, he meant far more like his, and far more often. Marinette glanced down at her nails. On her right and, all of them were black apart from her index finger, which was red. She wondered what he would do, but she had an inkling. He cried victoriously, and held the hair dryer above his head, showing it to her proudly.

"Found it!"

"Well done," she smirked.

Chat folded his legs underneath him on the cushion, and she laid her hand back on his knee.

"What're you doing?" She asked.

"Good things come to those who wait princess," he winked.

"Good things come whenever you come through that window," she muttered.

It was so quiet that she clearly hoped he wouldn't hear it. Unfortunately for her, his cat ears picked it up. Chat smiled to himself. He didn't let her he know that he had heard that, just in case.

"So-o-o," he began, casually, "how are thing with Louis?"

"Louis? Oh, _Louis_ ," Marinette's ears instantly went pink. "It's all fine."

Chat smirked. he was still trying to figure out if it was Nino. Whenever he saw the three of them together across the playground she seemed to be teasing the two of them into kissing. He thought that maybe the jealousy he had been picking up on were because she had lost her best friends full attention. It seemed to have eased off now that she and Chat were gossiping too. Maybe it had been loneliness.

"Tell me about him," Chat insisted, a little too close to a beg.

"I already told you about him, you tell me about Betty!" Marinette countered.

Chat happily obliged. "Oh well Betty's perfect. She's the smartest girl I've ever met, super creative, really kind, and just so beautiful. When she smiles, I swear the flowers die of envy that they can't be that gorgeous."

Marinette giggled. His tail flicked at he talked about Betty, and she could hear the affection rising in his voice. Marinette's eyes followed his hand as he reached for another colour. She didn't get to see which.

"The other day, Louis came in really tired, and he ran his hand though his hair, and it went all messy and stuck up at funny angles, which made him laugh, and I thought my heart was going to leap out of my throat."

Her soft smile crept up into her voice. Stepping away from her work and just sitting with Chat, talking and relaxing, made her realise how late it was getting. He had come over late, and that was hours ago now. she felt the urge to yawn, so covered her mouth with her unpainted hand. She heard chat chuckle. It seemed they couldn't go five minutes without one of them laughing.

"Tired?"

"No rest for the wicked."

"Good thing I'm one of the good ones then. I can't last a day without a cat nap," he chuckled.

"no wonder you're always away at four in the morning!" she smirked.

He laughed. He was usually only awake then if he had a publicity meeting, or a photoshoot or a final fitting before school. It used to be able to wait until six when he was home schooled, but that's the price you pay for friendship. If he had a minute, or if he was bored enough, he'd text her a good morning text to wake up to. He sent one to Ladybug to, so Marinette assumed he sent one to everyone he knew.

"So this Louis, anyone I might know?" Chat asked curiously.

Marinette thought back to the multiple times that they had had to defend Adrien. Christmas alone was hard enough to defend him. whoever thought he'd go running away with Santa Claus like that? but she saw the cataclysm. She knew Chat had been there to defend him. to save the life of the boy she loved so deeply it hurt sometimes.  
But she didn't _say_ any of that. she couldn't. That would give it all away far too blatantly, and she was enjoying their strange, sparsely laid out games of twenty questions to try and figure out who the other was in love with. It was a little unfair, since she didn't really know anyone Chat was friends with except Ladybug, and it couldn't be her. Chat said she was brave beyond hesitation. Ladybug hesitated every time. She hated it, but she did. So it couldn't be Ladybug.

Marinette shrugged casually. "you've met."

Chat gave a thoughtful mewling noise at the back of his throat which made her giggle again. his eyes flashed up towards her face for a moment. That movement, that laughed, it jogged her hand. She had almost jogged his painting.

"Try not to move," he advised gently.

"Sorry. I know it's hard, I've had to do fittings for people, and they get fidgety when they have to be still for more than three minutes," she apologised.

"I've done some modelling in my time, I could do some fittings for you if you like," he smirked.

"Well you probably wouldn't be the best for fittings, especially if they're for specific people, but yeah. Maybe if I ever have to fix something together I'll call you," she said.

"Lovely. If they're anything like that designs in your book I'm sure they'll be beautiful," he said.

"Thanks," she yawned again.

"But remember, I like tutu skirts. I like that ballerina feel," he winked.

She giggled again, and he glanced back down at his work. He had to plug the hair dryer into an extension chord, so it could reach her hand and he could use it to dry her nails. She watched, curiously, and tried to peep past his hand. He smacked her other hand, scolding her.

"Curiosity killed the cat!" he warned.

"But satisfaction brought it back," Marinette countered.

Chat paused to stare at her for a moment, and then burst into the brightest grin she had seen him give all week.

"I knew there had to be a good counter to that! thanks Mari," he beamed.

"Any time pussycat," she smiled.

Chat chuckled approvingly, clearly tickled by the new answer he had to use on people that tried to use that old phrase on him. he turned off the hair dryer and laid it down on the hard-wooden floor beside him.

"Close your eyes," he stated.

She raised an eyebrow. "you're not serious?"

"I'm very serious princess. Close your eyes," he said, seriously.

"Whatever you say Sir Staff-a-lot," she smirked.

Marinette closed her eyes. Chat raised her hand out in front of her, and spread her fingers, like he had before he started painting her nails. She felt his claws scratched against her, sharp enough to remind her of the damage they could do, but nowhere near hard enough to hurt her in any way.

"Three… two… one… open."

Marinette opened her eyes. she gasped. The black nails had been given an extra sparkle with a glitter brush she didn't even know she still had, and Chat had drawn a lime green pawprint on her thumb. His ring finger had been painted green, the same green, and he had drawn black cat ears and little whiskers, to outline a cat face that couldn't be seen. The index finger, the one he had painted red, now had little black spots too. They looked strikingly beautiful.

"Wow… Chat they're… they're amazing! Where did you learn to do that?" she asked, amazed.

Chat ran a finger along his mask, slyly. "I have my ways."

"Of course, you realise you have to do the other hand to match, and it's going to take up so much time I won't be able to finish my work," She said, seriously.

"You're right handed right?"

"yeah."

"then you're your right hand to write, read me the questions, and I'll answer them the best I can to help you," he shrugged.

"You don't have to do that," she insisted.

"It's be done already if I wasn't here. clear your mind, take a breath, and read the first question to me," he ordered.

He took her left hand by the wrist and laid it on his knee, grabbed her work book and laid it on her right knee, and grabbed her pen, and pushed it into her hand. Marinette pulled back for a moment, to make herself more comfortable. She laid on her stomach across the floor, and laid her hand on his knee.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Question one," she read aloud.

Using her elbow to keep the paper still as she wrote with her right hand. Chat Noir was good at multi-tasking. He had to be. the answers that he gave just rolled from him, like he'd done this homework before somehow. Marinette was thoroughly impressed. Or she would have been, if she wasn't exhausted. Marinette's yawns got closer, and the spaces her eyes were open between blinks got fewer and further between. She laid her head on the cushion for a moment, and almost immediately fell asleep.

"Princess?" Chat said in surprise.

Marinette was out cold. clearly, she had been more tired than he realised. He chuckled affectionately.

"Sleep well princess. Your knight is here. I won't let you down," he whispered.

Tikki stepped out of her hiding place curiously, watching Chat. Marinette was asleep. Sound asleep. She could fall asleep anywhere, in record time, Tikki was never unimpressed by it. but now, Chat Noir was still sitting there, while she slept, finishing her nails. He dried them with the hair dryer, and made sure they matched almost perfectly, before giving a satisfied nod. Tikki ducked back as he climbed up the ladder. She assumed he was leaving. He wasn't. he came back down with a blanket, and laid it over Marinette gently. He couldn't resist running his fingers though her hair, as she had run hers though his last week. She gave a content moan, and he smiled. She was cute asleep. Tikki raised an eyebrow. Surely that was it? surely, he'd be leaving now.  
But no.  
Chat picked up Marinette's homework, and her pen, and sat cross legged beside her until he had finished it. then he folded the book shut, and laid it under her perfectly painted fingers. He even put her phone on charge before he left. Tikki watched the skylight as he vanished off into the horizon.

What a cat.

"Heya Marinette."

"H-hi Adrien!"

"Wow, your nails are awesome!"

"Thanks, a friend of mine did them for me."

"Wow. Some friend."

"Yeah, he's one of a kind."


	6. Chapter 6

Come Easter Hawk Moth was back on schedule. The average was back up to one akuma a week, and Chat and Ladybug were hired to hide the Easter eggs around the park for the mayor's charity event. Most children went at least once while growing up, and most children were excited by it. It was a very important event for children, and therefore it was a very important responsibility.  
They were up at dawn. So early the sun hadn't even arisen by the time they got to the park. Chat beamed. Seeing Ladybug this early, still sleepy and bleary eyed, gave him a chance to pretend they had just woken up together.

"Good morning bugaboo," he cooed.

Ladybug groaned. Marinette didn't like waking up. Ever. And waking up early was the worst. Chat being cheery didn't make that any better. Her mood was not improved by carrying armfuls of baskets, filled with brightly coloured plastic eggs, roughly the size of her palm, with smaller chocolate eggs wrapped in the same colour tinfoil inside.

"Do you want me to fetch you a coffee?" He offered.

There was a pun about cats and dogs and fetching, but Marinette, and therefore Ladybug, was not in the mood.

"Let's just get this over with so I can go back to bed," she muttered.

"Aw don't think of it like that, think of it like-"

"Chat, I'm tired. If I wanna be moody, I'll be moody."

"Fine. I'll be cheerful for the both of us!"

Ladybug rolled her eyes. She already had Tikki for the relentless cheerfulness, she didn't need Chat for it. Instead of arguing, she went to the other end of the park to hide them up there, away from Chat. Disappointed, but understanding she needed space, Chat didn't follow her.  
After a while, when she'd had the chance to wake up a bit, Ladybug headed back over to where Chat was. He felt her gravitate towards him, and he felt his chest warm. She was drawn back.

"I feel like I should be dressed as a bunny," Chat announced

He settled a pink egg under a particularly leafy weed as she balanced a blue egg in the crook of a tree trunk.

"Well you've got the ears for it," she said.

Chat grinned. "They'd call you Spot if you were a bunny."

"They'd call you Jet," she countered.

"You and I would make adorable bunnies," he said.

She chuckled. She felt an urge to make a joke about breeding like bunnies, but then she remembered she was being Ladybug and not Marinette. He would take it differently from her.

"I remember coming to this when I was little. Back then they had proper rules for the golden egg. Back then they had a different mayor," Ladybug said, pointedly.

The charity that this came to help was anti-bullying. It highlighted acta of kindness, and this was a chance to install that in young children. The golden egg was the egg that went to whichever child was seen to be kind-hearted. A real "good egg". Once Rose and won it, because Nathanael dropped his egg and it broke, so Rose gave him one of hers because she had found two. Ivan won it for giving Max a boost, so he could reach an egg that was too high up for either of them to get. Alix very nearly won one when she stole an egg from Kim after he stole it from Rose in the first place, but they didn't give it to her because Kim and Alix got into a fight and Alix broke Kim's finger. That was the day they became friends. Then Chloe's father became the mayor, and he was in charge of deciding which child got the golden egg at the end. Now Chloe got it every year, and less and less children bothered to go. There was no point. Chloe was a teenager with a keen eye and a selfish attitude who was going to win the golden egg even if she did nothing nice to anyone.

"I only ever got to come once. It was fun. The children were kind. I enjoyed it," Chat explained.

And he had. Once. The year Chloe's father was elected. The last year before Chole won them all. The year Rose and Nathanael become friends. He had met Nino that year, not that he knew it. Nino hadn't been allowed in, because he didn't have enough pocket money to get in, and his parents weren't willing to pay either. He was standing in the street, with his hands on the bars, watching the other kids play. When Adrien came close enough, Nino pointed out an egg hidden under a bench. Adrien didn't feel right about eating it himself, so he broke it open and gave it to Nino, but kept the plastic egg for himself. Proof that he'd found it. He should have won the golden egg that year, but more people saw Rose's good deed.

"Are you going this year?" Ladybug asked.

"Well... maybe," he said uncertainly.

His father did _not_ like him coming back with a basket of chocolate as a child, and his mother had defended him. Now his mother wouldn't defend him, and his father would be even more annoyed. He had an eating program he was supposed to stick to, and eating with Marinette on Thursdays wasn't helping that.

"I'm going. Not this me, obviously, but a friend of mine didn't grow up here. She never got to come to this so we're going this year. Maybe we'll find an egg or two, what'd you think?" Ladybug smirked.

Chat glanced at the egg she had just placed between the paws of a rabbit statue. He cracked a grin.

"Nah, I bet you won't find one," he winked.

She laughed. The sound was music to his ears. Sunlight dawned like a golden halo falling down over the pair of them. It made his hair glow. It looked lush and soft. Marinette remembered the way her hands ran through his hair as she picked out bits of straw and stick from where he hit a tree on the way there. She giggled at the memory. Chat glanced up.

"What?" He asked.

Ladybug shrugged, and yawned. "Weird things are funny at four in the morning."

"Is that the time!" Chat gasped.

He had a photoshoot at five. It'd take him ten minutes to get home, maybe he'd get twenty minutes sleep before he'd have to get dressed and get out the door to head to the studio. Twenty minutes was better than nothing. Ladybug could tell there was something urgent that needed his attention. She ran her hand across his.

"Hey, go. It's ok. I can finish up here. I'll just sleep early tonight or something," she shrugged.

His heart melted. She was so nice to him. "You sure?"

"Yeah. Maybe I'll see you here when the event starts," she smiled.

Chat took her hand and bowed to kiss it. One day, he vowed, he would kiss her lips too. For now, he would take what he was allowed.

"My lady you deserve the golden egg this year. Thank you," he said.

Her ears went pink and she scoffed. "Just go!"

Chat nodded. He grabbed his staff and flicked the button. There was just one stop he had to do before he went home.  
Ladybug landed on her balcony, and transformed into Marinette. She chuckled at the Easter egg sat in a decorated box on the garden table. It was different to the one she had left there. Chat had come, taken the one left for him, and left one for her in its place. And there was a note on top. She picked it up curiously. Tikki sat on her shoulder and read the note with her. It was all hidden in an envelope, so she opened that first.  
Inside was a map and a note, both of which had been written by hand. The map was of the park and there were red circles here and there, where he had hidden eggs. He had clearly remembered she said she was going to that Easter egg hunt with Alya, and wanted to give her a chance to win. (Adrien had been invited to go with Nino and Alya and Marinette so it wasn't difficult to remember) The note simply said: "Have fun my little pirate princess!"

On her shoulder Tikki gave her a confused look. "Pirate princess?"

"I guess we know who the ship cat is," Marinette chuckled.

"What does that make me?" Tikki asked, folding her arms.

"If you keep sitting on my shoulder like that, you'll be the parrot!" Marinette grinned.

Tikki giggled. Marinette scratched her cheek affectionately. "Come on let's get you fed."

Tikki didn't really need feeding, since she hadn't had to use the lucky charm, but they had fallen into a routine where Tikki would have breakfast at the same time as Marinette, just in case, and Marinette was starving.

Marinette and Alya waited in line with all the other children at the gate to the park. Manon was around, somewhere near the front. It was Alya's idea to bring her, so they didn't feel so foolish searching for eggs as teenagers surrounded by children. Nino was standing nearby, acting like a meerkat. He was supposed to be keeping an eye on Manon, but Adrien still wasn't here yet.

"Will you stop Nino?! If he comes he comes, otherwise don't worry. You've still got us," Alya huffed.

Nino threw an arm around her shoulders, "and I'd never give that up."

Alya tried to stay mad but Nino gave her one of those cheeky grins and her heart beat her anger away.

"Who'd you reckon will get the most eggs?" Alya asked playfully.

Marinette smirked to herself. She had a pretty good idea of where to find most of the eggs, and if she hadn't, she had a map to lead her to them.

"I think you will if you use this," Marinette said, pulling the map from her pocket.

Her eyes sparkled mischievously, which made Alya raise an eyebrow, and smirk. She took the paper from Marinette and unfolded it, curiously. She frowned in confusion at the little red circles over the eggs that Chat had hidden.

"Are these the eggs? Who gave you this?" Alya asked suspiciously.

Marinette shrugged. "Chat Noir."

Alya and Nino shared a knowing look that made Marinette frown in confusion.

"What?"

"You two are becoming very close recently... should I be concerned?" Alya asked.

Marinette scoffed. "Of course not. You'll always be my best friend!"

"Not about me! About Adri-" Alya cut herself off with a glance at Nino.

"What?" Nino asked, obliviously.

Alya turned her head back to look at Marinette. "Girl, don't forget there's only one boy we've gotta focus on," Alya warned.

"I know," Marinette stressed.

"Who's that then?"

Adrien wandered up to the group, and flashed a killer smile that took Marinette's breath away. Nino lit up when he saw Adrien. He was worried he wouldn't turn up. Nino threw an arm around Adrien, so he ended up with Adrien under one arm and Alya under the other.

"ADRIEN!" He cheered.

"A-a-Adrien, HI! Hi, Adrien, Adrien, hi..." Marinette stammered.

"Smooth," Alya smirked.

To be fair to Marinette, her playful flirting with Chat Noir was helping her confidence around Adrien. She still stammered and jumbled her words, but she didn't blush as easily anymore.

"I didn't think you'd turn up," Nino said.

"I finished working early so I could come. I wouldn't miss Alya's first trip to the Easter park!" Adrien grinned.

"Aww, I feel so loved," Alya cooed.

Adrien grinned. It was just coincidence that this was the first time he could know with absolutely certainty that Ladybug was in this confined space with him. He didn't know who, he didn't know where, but she was here.  
When the gate opened and the rush of children went racing inside. Marinette hurried to get in so she could make sure she kept an eye on Manon. Adrien latched onto her wrist and hurried to keep up so Marinette didn't get lost. He latched only Nino behind him, who latched onto Alya, and they ended up in a chain wriggling in through the gate.

"Be careful Manon!" Marinette called as she raced straight for the bushes.

Manon was far too far away to hear her. Marinette made a distressed sound as she watched Manon vanish. Adrien stepped forward so he was standing beside Marinette. Plagg peaked out from Adrien's pocket, to wave at Tikki, who peaked out of the bag, just to wave at Plagg.

"Don't worry Mari, this place is completely shut apart from that gate, so she won't get out without us noticing," he said.

"I know, but whenever she's around I feel like I need to be on high alert... sorry" Marinette sighed.

"Don't be. You're an excellent babysitter," he winked.

Her chest tightened but she didn't turn as pink as she usually did. Alya elbowed Nino and gestured to Adrien and Marinette chatting while watching Manon play.

"They look just like real parents!" She grinned.

"I thought you said she was getting close to Chat Noir," Nino said.

Alya scoffed, "do you see the cat anywhere? Anyway, he's a passing fling. Those two are the real deal."

"What are we?" Nino asked.

Alya turned her head in surprise at the question. Then she flashed a grin and winked. He didn't know what it meant, but it made him feel fuzzy inside, so it had to be good. She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the others.

"Find any eggs yet?" Alya asked.

Adrien glanced around. He had been worried that the shiny and colourful eggs would be too blatant in the green of the park, but it had been decorated with cardboard rabbits, rainbow bunting, and painted blue and pink arrows pointing towards black circles that read "The bunny went this way". It was hard to see any of the little eggs through the crowd anyway. As if to highlight that point, a tide of children slammed past them. One of them hit Adrien's leg, tripping him up. Automatically, Marinette caught him under his armpits. Adrien looked up at her from where she had caught him. Both looked shocked. Alya elbowed Nino again, so hard he grunted. Adrien flashed Marinette a lopsided smirk.

"I guess I'm falling for you," came the automatic pun.

Although this was Adrien and not Chat Noir. Had it been Chat she would have come up with a flirty pun in return ("well you swept me off my feet, I thought I'd return the favour") and she'd help him back up. But it wasn't Chat. It was Adrien. Flirting with Marinette. Even Alya gasped. Marinette turned bright pink and snatched her hands back so he went crashing the rest of the way to the floor. Nino gasped.

"Are you ok dude?" Nino asked as he helped Adrien climb to hit feet.

"I'm fine. That was my fault I guess," he shrugged.

"Girl can you breathe?" Alya whispered.

Marinette nodded frantically, a little too frantically to be true. Her heart was beating so hard Alya could hear it. Adrien sheepishly apologised, and moved on. He had to remember he wasn't being Chat right now.

"It's an easy mistake. You're a fool out of uniform too," Plagg said, helpfully.

"Eat your cheese," Adrien said, bitterly.

Plagg sank back down into the pocket, cackling. Adrien huffed. That kwami didn't know how good he had it!

"Dude, seriously, are you ok?" Nino asked, quieter so the girls wouldn't hear.

Adrien nodded. "Yeah, yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking last time I was here, I gave some kid an egg he pointed out at through the bars," Adrien forced a smile.

His legs were slightly shaky and his head was whirling. He couldn't understand how he'd forgotten he wasn't Chat. It had never happened before. Not quite this bluntly anyway. Adrien's mind was so busy in the clouds he didn't notice the suspiciously hopeful look in Nino's eyes.

"Wait... how old were you?" Nino asked urgently.

Adrien shrugged. "Seven-ish."

Nino gasped and grabbed Adrien by both shoulders, shaking him urgently and over excitedly. "DUDE! THAT WAS ME!"

Adrien pushed him back to stop the shaking. "What?"

"THAT KID! THAT WAS ME! I WAS THE KID!"

Adrien's voice grew in excitement as he realised what that meant. "REALLY?!"

"YEAH DUDE! DUDE THIS IS LIKE DESTINY!" Nino beamed.

"THAT MEANS WE MET OVER THERE!" Adrien pointed at the railings excitedly.

Nino was practically vibrating with delight. "LET'S GO GET A SELFIE!"

The boys went racing over to the fence, phones in hand, faster than any of the sugar-fuelled children searching for eggs. Alya and Marinette shared a peculiar look, and looked back at the boys. Now they were on their knees, angling the phone to fit them both and the railings in.

"What just happened?" Alya asked, bewildered.

Marinette shrugged. "Your boyfriend stole my crush."

Alya wasn't exactly excited to be in the hunt for Easter eggs. She happened to mentioned she'd never been to one like this and Nino had lost his mind. He told Marinette and it became a little outing with Manon to avoid awkward questions. Now though, she was beginning to see the upside.

"Higher!" Manon called, "higher!"

Adrien hopped onto his tip toes. Manon was sat on his shoulders, trying to see into the very top of the tree. The worst part for Adrien was that he knew fully well there was no egg in this three, but he couldn't tell her that without an argument.

"I think we need to use Chats map," Alya whispered.

"I agree," Marinette nodded.

Manon had only found three eggs in the last hour, despite all four of them pointing out where they were to her. She didn't want to see, because it wound them up. Hence climbing on Adrien's shoulders. Marinette had to go up on her tiptoes to be a similar height to Manon, now she was on his shoulders.

"Manon, we have a present for you, but you mustn't let the other children see," she said.

"What is it?! What is it?! What is it?!" Manon bounced excitedly.

Adrien winced as she moved. She was heavier than she looked, and she was right on the. top of his spine

"Come here and let me show you," Alya said.

She put her hands under Manon's armpits and eased her backwards off Adrien's shoulders. Now they ached, but he smiled through the pain. He was used to that. Marinette stepped back and let Alya explain to Manon what the map was, and how to use it. Manon went speeding off down the park again. Adrien felt a tug of smugness.

"What was that?" He asked.

Marinette looked sheepish. She bowed her head a little and cleared her throat. "It's err... A map of where some eggs are hidden. I know it's not entirely fair, but Chat Noir gave it to me, and it was a joke, but Manon was searching trees and-"

Adrien cut her off before she could work herself into a panic over the excuses she had worked out. "It's nice of you to help her find them. You should win the golden egg this year."

He had expected her to giggle and turn pink like she usually did when Adrien complimented her. Instead she scoffed.

"Ha, yeah right, Chloe will get that," she said.

"Chloe isn't here," Adrien pointed out.

That didn't change Marinette's mind in any way. "Just you wait."

"MARINETTE I FOUND ONE, MARINETTE LOOK!" Manon held a bright orange egg high above her head, beaming so brightly she out shone the egg.

"Well done Manon, keep looking!" Marinette called.

Adrien smiled at Marinette without thinking. She handled Manon like an older sister sometimes, and it made him see a different side of her. One he saw more often than he thought he did. Marinette turned to look at him, and reeled back to find him staring.

"What?" She asked.

"You're going to be a great mother someday."

She turned her face away and tried not to blush again. Adrien grinned. That was the reaction he had been waiting for.

"Adrien! I found one!" Nino called.

His voice was excited, even though he left it for the actual children to claim. Adrien laughed.

"Way to go Nino!" Adrien called.

Marinette glanced up at him. There was a real pride in his face, even beside the humour. She smiled to herself.

Adrien was such a good friend.


	7. Chapter 7

Marinette glanced at Tikki, eyes wide with shocked joy. Tikki covered her mouth with her hands to hold in the giggles. Marinette leaned her elbows on the edge of the trap door, watching Chat, with Tikki on her shoulder. Marinette lifted her phone up to record it too. She'd gone out to get a sewing kit from downstairs to fix the Chat Noir doll that Chat had accidentally broken. He knocked the ball of lime green yarn onto the floor accidentally and went to pick it up so Marinette wouldn't have to search the whole room for the yarn. Then he kicked it accidentally. Now she was watching him dart across the floor, batting at the ball of yarn as it unravelled. It had gotten caught on something when he had dashed after it. he pounced on it from afar, and clawed at it. he mewled victoriously, and raised his arm high. Caught up in the triumph, he wasn't thinking properly.

"CATA-"

"CHAT NO!"

Chat had a heart attack and leapt into the air as she leapt into the room and threw herself at him. she tackled him to the floor, and they both ended up in a heap. Marinette ended up across his chest. Her eyes focused on the yarn in his hand. She snatched it away and rolled off of him.

"You were about to cut our night short because you caught my yarn!" she complained.

The reality of the mistake dawned on Chat. He would have had to leave before anyone saw him, and cut the night short. He propped himself up on his elbows as she ravelled the yarn back up into a ball. She seemed more annoyed that he had almost cut their time short than that he had left a trail of wool all over her bedroom.

"We should come up with a plan, just in case something like this happens again," he said, breezily.

"The plan is simple, be responsible and think before you use your power to destroy everything you touch!" Marinette snapped.

Chat reeled backward, his eyes fell, and he was visibly hurt. Tikki winced. Marinette bit her lip. The guilt hit her like a train instantly. She looked back down at the yarn, shamefully.

"Sorry… I didn't mean that," she said, softly.

Chat sat up properly, "you're right. I shouldn't be so irresponsible. Ladybug would be disappointed in me."

"No, she wouldn't!" Marinette insisted, "Ladybug would understand how easy it is to make a mistake… the difference is she can fix everything she does, and you…"

"Can destroy everything forever, yeah I know," he sighed.

She bowed her head lower. "I didn't mean it like that."

He reached out and laid his hand on the back of hers. "I know. I know what my powers do princess. I'm not just your knight of the night, I'm a hero of Paris. Akumas come after me because of what I can do. I know they can be dangerous. That's why they were trusted to me."

Marinette raised her head. She didn't have that faith. Sometimes she still thought Alya would be better for the job. "Do you know that? for sure?"

"Well not for sure, but I feel it. Someone must have chosen me, and somehow got my miraculous into my room so I could become Chat Noir. Things don't just appear for no reason," he said, firmly.

"The same thing happened with my earrings," Marinette said, softly.

"What, some strange person left them in your bedroom so you could become the hero of Paris?" Chat teased.

Marinette felt her breath catch urgently. "No! no! I just meant… my earrings appeared in my room one day. someone must have left them for me. My grandma is always leaving things for me, they come in the post, I don't know where they came from, but I always wear them because they're special, y'know?"

Chat's smile grew as he watched her get deeper into a panic. "You're cute when you're flustered."

Marinette smiled, and looked away shyly. "If only Louis thought that."

"Does he make you flustered? Can he make you blush?" Chat asked.

There was a certain hint of something in it that neither of them noticed. It was too buried under the curiosity. Chat was eager for any information to figure out who Louis was. Desperate enough for it, he didn't notice that tiny flicker of envy in his chest.

"Anyone can make me blush, it's not blushing I'm worried about. It's when I get so tongue tied I can't talk to him. I just make a fool of myself," Marinette sighed.

"If it's any consolation, I always make a fool of myself around Betty too. Sometimes I think she wishes I wouldn't," Chat said.

"Wouldn't what?"

"Wouldn't be so foolish. Less puns, more facts, less flirting, more logic, less… me, more partner. I just can't do it."

Chat's tail got further between his legs, and he bowed his head sadly. Marinette nudged him, gently.

"For what it's worth, I like some of your puns."

Chat's head snapped up, a new light in his eyes. "You do?!"

"They've grown on me," she nodded.

"They have?" he beamed.

"Yeah. Kinda like mould. Irritating and difficult to get rid of!" she grinned back.

"I THOUGHT WE WERE HAVING A MOMENT!"

"We had a moment, now let me fix the doll while you put on that!"

Chat laughed as he stood up, following her orders as usual. Marinette needed to see how a design of hers would look while being worn. Specifically, worn by Juleka. Rose had roped her into ballet lessons, and she had grown to enjoy it, and now they had a performance of Swan Lake coming up and Juleka asked Marinette to make her outfit for the after party. Something that had her characters essence, but was really Juleka too. It was a hard task, since the swan was white and graceful, and Juleka was… Juleka, so Marinette was focusing on the swan part first.  
Marinette had her legs folded beneath her as she laid the Chat Noir doll on her lap. She threaded the needle with such focus her tongue poked out of her mouth. Chat smirked. that was something else Adrien never saw. The passion she had for her work when she got going.

"Don't I look the cat's meow?" Chat purred.

Marinette looked up. the dress was white, and it had a sweetheart neckline, high enough that it almost reached her neck. The swan had a lower cut sweetheart neckline but Juleka liked having her collar high. The dress had lace with floral swirls along the sleeves, like her favourite shirt. The tutu skirt was loose and fell gracefully around her knees. It was layered white, lilac, white, lilac, for the flare of purple she was known for, and pearl green spots of glitter hidden along the hem gave it sparkle, and matched the green on her favourite shirt. All of this greatly contracted the crass blackness of Chat's outfit. Marinette grinned.

"The bees knees," she agreed.

"It's a privilege to wear something my princess has made herself," he winked.

He had started flirting with her more blatantly now, so he could practice flirting with Ladybug. He was beginning to worry she thought his flirting wasn't as serious as he meant it to be. even so, sometimes it was hard to tell where the flirting ended, and the puns began.

"Stay still and let me stick pins in you voodoo doll," Marinette teased.

"I'll be your voodoo doll if I get to prick you back," Chat winked.

"You're my voodoo doll because you have the power to take my breath away," Marinette said, coolly.

Chat gasped, "Smooth! Louis should consider himself lucky."

"Yeah, there's no way I can be as smooth around him as I am around you," Marinette scoffed.

"I am one cool cat," Chat smirked.

"Or a massive dork wearing a ballet dress who can't play go fish properly."

"I thought you had to fish every round, no one ever taught me to play!"

No one ever taught him to play any card games. It's difficult to play them when you're constantly busy working let alone teach them. it's harder to play them by yourself, and no one was ever there to play card games. Chloe certainly didn't want to. Ever. All she wanted to do was play dress up. now he had Marinette, Marinette taught him how to play go fish, snap, and 52 cards pick up. although that last one was a bit mean since he had no idea what he was in for, and she felt bad, so she helped him tidy up the mess she had made.

"there. all better," Marinette held up the fixed doll, his arm was dashed with new stitches, holding it secure. "You know this reminds me of the babe."

Chat frowned. "what babe?"

"the babe with the power."

"What power?"

"the power of voodoo."

"How?"

"Aw you ruined it!" Marinette laughed.

Chat tilted his head quizzically. "ruined what?"

Marinette's face fell and she stared at him in alarm for a moment. "Haven't you seen The Labyrinth?"

Chat shook his head. Marinette almost turned into Nino as she freaked out because he hadn't seen the movie her father adored so much. she was so distracted by that as she pinned the fabric into place that she almost stabbed him with the pin twice. in the end, she jotted it down on a list they were making of films one of them hadn't seen. They tried to get through two movies on their monthly movie night, but so far they hadn't made it very far down the ever-growing list. For now Marinette turned her focus back to the dress. It would have to be finished soon. The show was on Mother's Day.

"Oh… that's soon is it?" he asked, suddenly growing a little distant.

"So my mother keeps reminding me," Marinette chuckled. "Although she keeps reminding me that sugar isn't good for cats, so you shouldn't be eating all the snacks you do every time you come over."

"I can't help it princess! Saving Paris builds up an appetite. You should see what it does to Plagg,"

Marinette smiled. Chat talked about his kwami so much Marinette felt a need to meet him, and yet she didn't want to. She didn't want to find out who Chat was, because then she would have to tell him she was Ladybug, and this whole dynamic would shift. Things couldn't be so light and easy if he knew she was Ladybug. Chat seemed to catch a glimpse of what she was thinking.

"One day, Hawk Moth will be defeated. As soon as he is, I will tell you who I am, and you can meet Plagg. I promise," Chat said, seriously.

"You promise?" she repeated.

He held out his pinkie. She smirked, and linked hers around it. he grinned back.

"I swear on the spatula of destiny that I will keep my word. Cats honour."

Marinette giggled. Her gaze rose to that messy hair of his, and her smile vanished as an idea hit her. Chat recognised that glint in her eyes.

"What?" he asked, nervously.

"Can I braid your hair?" she asked.

Chat burst into laughter. he did her nails, they gossiped about their crushes, they taught each other games and pick up lines, she got in him a dress, and now she wanted to braid his hair? Adrien had wanted to be one of the girls, but he didn't realise how deep in it he had gotten. Then he looked into her hopeful, gleaming eyes, and he found his voice answering before his mind.

"Sure thing princess."

She beamed at him, and darted to her table to grab her brush. Chat took off the dress, and sat down on the floor. Marinette sat behind him on the sofa, and began to smooth out his hair. He shuffled backwards so she could reach easier. His head was practically in her lap as she brushed his hair out smoother. She dropped hair bands onto him for him to hand back later, when she needed them. Her hands ran though his hair gently, taking strands and plaiting them together expertly. Adrien had seen the circle of girls at lunchtime, all doing each other's hair. Usually it started because of Rose, or because someone had a big event coming up, or they were just gossiping together, and grooming felt like a natural part of gossiping. For whatever reason, you could often find the girls (except Chloe. Alix was rare, Sabrina was rarer, but NEVER Chloe) in a corner somewhere, half standing up, half sitting down, putting each other's hair into wild styles, or just practicing normal ones. Maylene, she liked to practice plaits. She was excellent as fishtails. Alya, she liked to see how many ponytails she could fit on one head. Both were often well received, and removed before the next class. That was another thing he didn't understand. Why do it if you were just going to take it out again straight after it was finished?  
NOW he understood it.  
Her knees bumped against his back, so she moved her feet to pin him in closer. Her fingers ran though his hair, brushing against his head. He felt her knuckles rub against his skull like a bumpy kind of massage. It was a blissful feeling. Her fingers twisting the strands to make them weave together. He felt a rumble deep in his chest. A rumble deep enough to feel like a purr. He felt the need to hide that purr from Marinette. Ladybug already teased him about it, he didn't need two blue eyed girls teasing him together. Chat's hair was just long enough to put two braids in that linked together like a halo atop his head. Messy as it was in places, it made him look more handsome. She asked for the hair band, and he raised his arm. It was looped on his wrist. She had to peel it off over his fingers herself.

"It's pretty rudimentary, but it's cute," she shrugged.

Marinette held out her phone on a front facing camera to use as a mirror. He took it in a paw, disappointed that she wasn't playing with his hair anymore, and then he saw his hair. His jaw dropped, and curved into a smile.

"Princess! I'm so beautiful! Thank you!" he breathed.

Marinette grinned. "I could put flowers in, but I don't have any right now."

"Next time," Chat nodded.

He laid his head back against her lap. It was a calmer moment than either of them expected it to be. Marinette took back her phone, and began playing a game on it. She had her cat on her lap, her phone in her hand, and her kwami on her shoulder. With her free hand, she drew circles in his hair, behind his ear with her thumb. Try as he like to stop it, the purr escaped. Marinette smiled affectionately.

"Silly kitty."


	8. Chapter 8

Adrien didn't like Mother's Day anymore. He'd never been fond of it. Actually he'd never paid it much mind beyond buying his mother a present and giving her a hug. But now she wasn't around, he didn't like it. He missed her more than ever, and his father didn't notice. The weeks before Mother's Day, when it was advertised everywhere, it really wore him down. Putting on na brave face for his father was the worst, so he couldn't anymore. He was too tired. But this, this little room, high above a bakery, that contained his friend, bad jokes, and good food, this was his haven. So he still turned up on Thursday.

"Chat? What's wrong?"

Marinette's voice was soft and careful. It made him feel fragile. He was wearing Juleka's tutu dress again, so she could figure out where the lilac ribbon had to go to loop around Juleka's neck. Even the tutu skirt of the didn't cheer him up. Chat wasn't posing or dancing or teasing or joking. Something was wrong.

"Nothing. I'm perfect," he forced a smile.

That sealed it. He was utterly broken.

"Friends don't lie kitten," she said.

"Why would I lie?"

"You said perfect, not purr-fect. Tell me what's wrong."

"I'm fine!"

"Don't make me find the spatula of destiny!"

Even that couldn't get more than an extra hard puff of air from his nose. Marinette frowned. He was really worrying him now. She reached up to stroke his shoulder. He was a hero. He had to be strong. But she knew better than most that even heroes hurt sometimes.

In the same soft voice, she said, "Hey... you don't have to talk to me, but let me help. Let's go get some ice cream, yeah?"

Chat sniffed, and nodded miserably. Ice cream didn't sound like it could do much, but it was better than staying still and thinking about his mother. Marinette helped him out of the tutu dress she had made. She folded it neatly on her mattress, so the light caught the sparkle.

"No need to worry my parents though. We'll go from the balcony," Marinette declared.

He climbed up onto the balcony and held out his hand to help her up. She didn't need it, but took it anyway. The pair of them stood on the balcony and took a moment to breath in the evening sun. It was almost seven and the sky was blue as blue can be, like it was midday. Marinette frowned. She couldn't be Ladybug right now, for obvious reasons, and yet the last time she travelled with Chat Noir was replaying in her mind. The screaming and the loss of use of her legs were particularly vivid.

"If you hold tight and don't look down, I promise I'll keep you safe," he said, softly.

Marinette drew her gaze away from the depth they would fall if they fell to the street, and look up at Chat.

"I know you will," she said.

It wasn't a lot to ask that a citizen have faith in the hero that had protected her time and time again, and yet the fact she did cheered him up a little. Chat laid an arm around her waist to pull her towards him. She linked her arms around his neck, and trusted him to keep her safe.

"Don't let go," he said.

Something in her mind linked back to months earlier, back when she, Nino and Alya had been joking around at the side of the road. It wasn't really the time for joking, but she tried to lighten the mood.

"I'll never let go, Chat. I'll never let go. I promise!" She said, with subtle drama that sounded far too much like it did in the film.

Chat gave her a funny look, like that sounded familiar but he didn't know where to place it. He held her a little tighter as he pushed his staff to make it rise. The pair went soaring through the air like he and Ladybug had done before. Now she had voluntarily given up her control, Marinette's trust had overtaken her nerve. She knew he wouldn't drop her, and she could take a moment to appreciate the wonder of flying without having to worry about where to put her yo-yo.  
The faces of the people in the street where they landed made Marinette's day. Their look of utter shock reminded her that she wasn't Ladybug right now, but he was Chat Noir. Hero. Not just her dorky friend with whom she spent her Thursdays. She kept forgetting that. Even when akumas attacked she forgot that. Ladybug was a lot flirtier with Chat recently. So much so it'd featured on the Lady blog.

"How are your legs?" Chat asked, concerned.

His arms were out either side of her, ready to catch her in case she fell. Marinette was as sturdy as ever. Flying through the air as Ladybug made her landing flawless. Even if Chat was the one landing.

"Let's go get ice cream!" She grinned.

Chat laughed softly at how briskly she moved on from this. Ice cream was top priority now. He could follow that idea. Marinette's order came out of her mouth the instant he asked. She clearly had a favourite. Adrien hadn't been in an ice cream shop like this for years. There were so many different flavours and so many different colours that it took him a minute to realise the card had flavours written on them. He had been trying to guess the flavour via the colour. Once they had ordered, Marinette started reaching into her pocket. Chat stopped her.

"I'll pay," he said.

"Don't be silly, I'll pay," she said.

"No, please, they're on the house. You deserve them," the man behind the counter said.

"Oh but I-" Marinette began.

"I insist!" The man insisted.

Chat gave a weak smile. He didn't have much fight left in him and it wasn't of enough use here. "Thank you Monsieur."

Once they were out of the shop, Chat gave his ice cream to Marinette, so she had a cone in each hand. Then he scooped her up in his arms like a bride. That took her by surprise.

"Hold on," he advised.

Marinette now had no control at all. Less than she had before. She felt her heart speed up urgently. Tikki whispered from her pocket.

"Focus on the ice cream and let Chat do the rest."

Well it was a lot better than Marinette's plan, as it actually existed, so she listened to Tikki. The cool early summer breeze ran though her hair. They landed on the bars of the Eiffel tower, high enough to see the sun set, and low enough that no one could see them.  
Marinette perched on a bar, and held out his ice cream. Chat took it and thanked her. For a minute or two, they sat there, high above the city, with no idea what to say to one another. Instead, they watched the sun start to edge towards the horizon.

"This is nice," Marinette declared.

Chat agreed. "It's a safe haven."

"Like my room?" She teased.

"You room is my favourite," he said seriously.

"How many hiding spaces do you have like this?" She asked.

"A few," he shrugged.

"Do you just wander this city like a stray?" She teased.

"Only before a storm," he stared.

She frowned. "Why?"

"I like to find as many strays as possible before a storm to feed them. If they're not hungry they're less likely to run out in the storm and get hit by lightning or cause a car accident or something. It's not anything big but-"

"A hero protects every citizen, no matter how small."

"Yeah..."

Marinette bowed her head. In battle, Chat was seen as a side kick. He didn't have the power to stop akumas coming back, that was her. That's why she got all the praise. But Chat took the time to think about others, to think about cats, and do small things that could keep people safe. Small things that went unnoticed by everyone. Even Ladybug. And he never complained. She felt a rush of guilt. She of all people should have noticed.

"Will you tell me what's wrong now?" She whispered.

Chat looked dramatically off into the horizon, where the city fell away to suburbs. He kept his eye there for a while.

"I'm thinking about moving away. Travelling around France I think," he announced.

Marinette stared at him for a while. First she couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was the hero! He couldn't just _leave_! It doesn't work like that. And then she saw his face. The utter sorrow in his eyes. He wasn't going anywhere, but for a while, up here, away from everything, he could pretend. Marinette played along.

"Where would we go?" She asked.

He glanced at her for a moment. We? Of course she could come with him. He'd be thrilled of the company. He'd been locked up alone for far too long.

"I hear Versailles is breath-taking." He said.

"There's a good place to start."

"My fath- um, my dad wouldn't mind."

"Wouldn't he?"

No of course not. He wouldn't _mind_. He'd be absolutely utterly completely furious. Then again he so often was it was difficult to tell.

"We could go all over. To the smallest farming village, and help churn butter," Chat said, dreamily.

"You could be the cat the gets the cream," Marinette chuckled.

"I could!" Chat smirked.

"We could go south and visit the warm and sunny beaches," Marinette agreed.

"I don't think you need much help going red princess," Chat teased gently.

"Probably not," she smiled.

"We can go skiing in Chamonix."

"I've never been skiing."

"I'll teach you."

"It'll end up in a snow ball fight!"

"Good. then when we got so cold we couldn't feel our fingers and your lips turned blue we could go to the café and have hot chocolate by the fire."

Chat closed his eyes to imagine the little marshmallows floating on top of the cream. Marinette closed her eyes too. She could practically hear the fire crackling in front of them. the warmth of the sun felt like the fire on her face.

"That sounds amazing. we'd have to stop off in camembert for Plagg," she said.

"We'd need a lot! Plagg hates the cold," Chat smiled.

Tikki didn't. The words very nearly slipped out. Tikki was sitting in Marinette's sleeve stealing licks from the ice cream whenever she could. She loved the cold so much Marinette worried about her getting ill, and knitted her a little pink jumper to keep her warm while she played. She could make one for Plagg. Bright green to match his eyes.

"If your father wouldn't mind, what would your mother say?" Marinette asked.

When no answer came but Chat bowed his head Marinette had her answer. She knew why he was so upset. Mother's Day was coming up, and he didn't have one to celebrate with.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You didn't make her leave."

"You can share my mother if you like. I know she adores you. She'll definitely invite you to the Mother's Day meal, because I cook it every year and I can bake, but I just can't cook. Everything gets burnt and then we order a take out," she smiled.

Marinette saw his little smile, and his tail sink further between his legs. She had a mother to laugh and call her silly and order a takeout and kiss her temple and wish her goodnight. Even if she didn't, she had a father that would step into the role. They would cook together, and it might not burn, so they'd eat it, but that would feel wrong and untraditional, so they would order a take out anyway. Marinette had parents that loved her and showed it. Adrien had a father would wouldn't notice if he left the house every Thursday for three months for hours on end and came back exhausted but happy every time. He wouldn't notice when Adrien was hurting because he wanted his mother around for Mother's Day. He had the kind of father that would steal a girls present for him, and write his own name on it because he forgot his own son's birthday.  
Marinette moved so she was leaning against him, even as her free hand tightened her grip on the bars behind her, so she couldn't fall.

"We'll go as soon as Hawk Moth is defeated," She promised.

Chat gave her a week smile. "Paw-mise?"

"Cross my heart," she smiled back.

Chat chuckled gently. It was good to see him feeling better already. Marinette leaned against him still. they finished their ice creams as the sun turned red, and appreciated the company in silence.

Summer came and went in a flash. Since there was no school, Chat came over more often, and earlier in the day, to spend longer with her. Which meant he was there for the fittings. He tried to be helpful, but sometimes he just got in the way. Tom and Sabine kept him busy in the kitchen, teaching him how to bake, or having him serve in the bakery, but sometimes they didn't have time. They only break they got, apart from the akumas, was when Marinette went to one of Adrien's summer parties with him, Alya and Nino. Chloe was there too, but Adrien was inviting them to a lot more parties recently, so she was less surprised and less snippy. It was also the only time Nino was allowed in Adrien's house without an akuma too. But when he was with her and her parents were busy, she needed to find a way to keep him out of the way of the fitting. Marinette brought a laser pointer pen. Chat didn't find out for almost a month.  
When he did, he got his revenge.  
Chat came through the window one Tuesday night, while she was getting ready for bed in the bathroom. He stayed out of sight as he went sneaking up to the bathroom. He lurked slowly as he picked his way over the floor boards. When he came to the squeaky one that couldn't be avoided, he put his staff between the walls, and used it as a monkey bar to swing himself over the squeaky one, and land on the other side as gracefully as a cat. He wandered carefully down through the hallway as quietly as he could.  
Chat watched her for a moment, unseen. She filled the sink with water to clean her face with. Once she lowered her head to clean it, he went in. Like a ninja, silent and unseen, he crept into the room, and stood behind her, hands outstretched, pretending to be a monster. She raised her face again, and reached for the nearby towel. As she dabbed her face dry, she looked up in the mirror.

"ARGH!"

She leapt backwards, straight back into his chest. Chat howled with laughter. He held her in his arms and laughed. As soon as Marinette's heart was back to a normal rate, she grinned, and hit him. Chat's smile flickered into annoyance, and then into impishness when he was struck by an idea. Her face fell. She recognised danger when she saw it.

"Don't."

Chat's grip around her waist tightened. Her heart beat faster.

"Seriously don't!"

Chat grinned.

"CHAT NO!"

Chat Noir started tickling her, and she instantly erupted into laughter. Chat kept tickling until she fell deeper into his arms, and kept giggling. His fingers wriggled across her, tickling harder. His claws were surprisingly effective when it came to tickling. The first time he ran one of his claws along her back, she thought he'd cut her. Then they hit a spot on her back where it tickled. It had taken both of them by surprise. Marinette wasn't usually ticklish. It was his claws. She turned bright pink. He beamed.  
Marinette ended up in a heap on the bathroom floor, eyes watering as she giggled hard enough to give her the hiccups. Chat laughed too when she fell out of his reach. The pair of them howled as he leaned down to help pull her back up.

"I have to get a spray bottle of - hic - water for when you do - hic - do things like this!" She complained.

"Aw come on princess, I was only playing!" He smiled.

"I was only playing with a laser pointer!" She argued.

"That's different."

"How?"

Chat's face fell as he stared at her. Her arms were folded, and she shifted all her weight on one leg. That look she had on her face was one that she had adopted from him. A little smug, a little knowing, but stubbornly challenging. His shoulders sank too.

"Sorry," he muttered.

She smirked. "I forgive you. But if you ever do it again I'll send the video of you playing with yarn to Alya."

His eyes widened. "What video?"

Marinette grinned. She dropped the towel back on the rack and headed out of the bathroom. Chat followed at her heels.

"What video? Princess? What video? Princess? Mari? Marinette? Princess Marinette? What video?"

He followed her all the way into her bedroom. Marinette sat down on her sofa, with her legs out in front of her, and her back against the support.

"Mari!" Chat whined.

Marinette handed him her phone without a word, and picked up her book from the floor. Chat pressed play. His cheeks grew pinker as he watched himself dart across the floor after a ball of yarn.

"Delete this!" He said.

"It's already backed up on my computer," she smirked.

"Mari!" He whined.

"I'm keeping it!" She grinned.

She didn't even look up from her book as he groaned heavily and threw himself over the sofa like he had been shot. Marinette poked him with her toe.

"It makes me laugh. I want to keep it," she said.

He sat up. "Please don't show anyone. I'll be a laughing stock!"

"No one knows it exists except you and me." And Tikki, but who could she tell.

Chat sighed. At least only she had seen it. He padded up the sofa beside her, and laid against her, so his head rested on her chest. Marinette drew circles on his cat ears absently, as she read her book. He purred softly. Marinette didn't tease him about it like Ladybug did. He didn't mind purring around her. He closed his eyes and leaned against her deeper as he relaxed.

"Read to me?" He asked.

Marinette cleared her throat. ""Maybe girls need an island to find themselves. Maybe they need a place where no one's watching them, so they can be who they really are." There was something about the island that made the girls forget who they had been. All those rules and shalt nots. They were no longer waiting for some arbitrary grade. They were no longer performing. Waiting. Hoping. They were becoming. They were."

That was the day before the last day of summer holidays. They went back to school with new stories to tell about their time apart, and new jokes about their time together in the holidays that other people didn't understand. Then they blinked, and it was very nearly Halloween.


	9. Chapter 9

"I'd have thought you'd love Halloween. Black cats are all the rage this time of year," Ladybug said.

"Yeah so this one won't be as special," he said.

"You're special no matter what you wear Chat."

"Promise?"

"In or out of the costume you are chat noir, and you are special. Because of who you are," she pressed her palm flat against his chest, "in here."

Chat Noir went pink and queasy. It took him a few minutes of spluttering to come back to being the smooth and punny kitty she knew so well.

"Actually," he cleared his throat again, his cheeks pink and burning, "I have a costume party to go to. It's a competition a friend of mine came up with, we have to hang around and figure out who we are without clues."

"Wait- what?"

"It's a huge game, you have to embody your character, and everyone has to write down who they think is who. Whoever gets the most right wins."

Ladybug knew that. She was going to that party. That was ALYA'S party! Alya was hoping many people would come as Ladybug, so she could use this as a last-ditch attempt to see who was most likely to be Ladybug. Not that she could ensure every girl in their class would come as Ladybug. In fact none of them were. Everyone guessed she wanted them all to come as Ladybug, so they all agreed that none of them were to come as Ladybug. Marinette had planned to go as Chat Noir but if he was going to be there it meant two things.  
He would see her dressed as him.  
And he was in her class.

"What are you wearing?" She asked automatically.

Chat Noir blushed. He had planned to come as Ladybug since Alya clearly wanted everyone to be the bug. Now though he couldn't. He promised the others in the class that no one would be Ladybug. Nino was buying his costume at this very moment.

"It's a secret," He winked.

"Then I won't tell you what I'm going as this year," she stated.

"I bet it's lovely," he said.

Her eyes sparkled. "It is."

Talking of secrets, Chat still had to figure out who Louis was, which is why he sat on the chair beside Marinette, mid-zombie attack (on their video game, there wasn't a zombie akuma outside. Again) with one question on his mind.

"will Louis be there?" He asked.

"Will Betty?" She asked.

"I have no idea."

"Neither do I. But his best friend is going so I assume so."

"Who's his best friend?"

"That would be telling."

Over the last few months Chat had gone through phases of thinking every boy in their class was Louis. His three biggest contenders were Nathanael, Nino, or Kim. Although he doubted Kim most. He had tried to saved her once or twice, at her birthday it had led to him being turned into coal. They were friends, sure, but not like that. She seemed very close to Nathanael, and he knew she was close to Nino. But she treated him like a buddy and acted like Alya's wing man. She couldn't be in love with him.

"What will you go as?" He asked.

Marinette bit her lip and glanced at her wardrobe. She had spent the whole month planning her Chat Noir outfit to perfection. She even made Tikki a little tail and a pair of Chat Ears to be Plagg if she wanted to be. She hadn't told her that yet though. It was a surprise. Yet the idea of telling Chat she was going to be him did not appeal to her.

"I was going to go as Ladybug, but we're not allowed, so I'm gonna go as something cute," she explained.

"I thought it was a costume party, you can't go as yourself," he said.

"Shut up, and eat grenade!"

She laughed triumphantly as she exploded Chat's entire platoon to raid them for supplies. Chat groaned in frustration as she defeated him again. He threw down the controls and looked around the room. Her grey cotton beret was hanging on a peg beside her pale blue coat that made her look like Coraline. He had found her on the street all wrapped up in the blue coat, with her beret pulled down on her head, her little purse sat on her hip, and a grey scarf tied around her neck, as she jumped on a crunchy autumn leaf, and almost split her pumpkin spice latte down herself. That latte cup was on the table behind them, laying beside the crumb covered plate that (until recently) had contained Halloween biscuits. They had been baked as a part of the most recent bake off. That's what Chat had come for. There were pumpkins and bats vs ghosts and circles decorated with spider webs. Sabine's bats won.

"Are you taking them to the party?" Chat asked, hopefully.

Marinette glanced at the empty plate. She was. Although she was planning to keep them in her bag, for Tikki.

"Do you think I should?" She asked.

"Of course!" He insisted.

Marinette smirked. Chat had eaten most of them again. Of course he thought she should take them to the party, he'd probably eat them all! But then she had an idea. Chat was going to be at the party. She was going to be dressed as Chat. She had to pretend to be Chat. If she spent the entire night eating the whole plate of biscuits and annoying him into breaking character, maybe she could figure out who he really was.

"Good idea Chat. I will."

Chat grinned. At least there was one thing at the party that would defiantly be brilliant.

Marinette tucked her cat ears into her bag and heaved it onto her shoulder.

"Why don't you go in costume, so you don't have to change?" Tikki asked.

"Because I'm going to be lifting heavy things and I don't want to trip over my tail. Talking of tails, I have a present for you," Marinette said.

Tikki gasped. "A present?! For me?!"

Marinette nodded. She dug into the drawer where she had hidden the cat ears and tail for Marinette to dress as Plagg. She held them out to Tikki. Tikki gasped.

"You want me to be your kwami?"

"No one else could be so perfect. But I've never met Plagg, so it's based on what Chat said he looked like."

"They're perfect! They're _purr_ -fect,"

"You're purr-fect."

"High five girl!"

Marinette laughed, but held up her hand for Tikki to hit with her tiny little fist. Tikki put on the pi outfit and twirled in the air so her tail twisted around her.

"How do I look?"

As soon as she asked, the ears fell over her face and covered her eyes. Her mouth turned into an O-shape. Marinette chuckled, she pushed them back up.

"Are they too big?" She asked.

"They're _paw_ -some. _Ear_ -ily so!" Tikki giggled.

Marinette smiled. Tikki's chest puffed with pride at her bad puns. Marinette hoisted the bag further up her shoulder.

"We gotta go girl, Alya's waiting!"

Alya was rushed off her feet as she set everything up. She barely had five minutes to tell Marinette where to put everything. Marinette listened intensely to the breathless orders, and followed them to the best of her abilities. She figured that most of the breakables would be taken upstairs, and all of her siblings' toys would be moved out of the way. The one room they were shoving everything in would have to be off limits, but the rest would be fine. Tikki was a useful extra pair of hands when it came to decorating. She could lift and pin up bunting without help, so that all went up swiftly while Alya wasn't paying attention. Marinette set up the table for the food, and laid her biscuits in the centre. After a while Alya came out of the kitchen and looked around the room. Her hair was a mess and she looked more stressed out than she needed to be.

"is everything ready?" Alya asked nervously.

"Everything but you and me," Marinette nodded.

"D'you think she'll come?" Alya asked.

"I don't know. Everyone in our class is coming so if she's in our class, yes," Marinette shrugged.

"As herself?"

"Not as herself. She's not that stupid."

"This is going to go so badly, why did I invite Chloe?!" Alya groaned.

Marinette laid a hand on Alya's forearm, "Girl you gotta calm down. This is Chloe we're talking about. What are the chances of her turning up?"

"You're right. I'm stressing out over nothing…" Alya ran her fingers though her hair and got them caught in a tangle. "Look at my hair! Oh, girl, can you give me a hand getting ready?"

"That's why I'm here," Marinette nodded.

Alya smiled gratefully at her best friend. Even if Ladybug didn't turn up, at least Marinette was here. Marinette was always there when she needed her. Alya was going as Ladybug, so Marinette helped her to put her hair up into the classic bunches that she tugged out of her own hair as quickly as she could, so Alya wouldn't put two and two together. Once they were done, Alya helped her to do her make-up. Alya and Marinette had coordinated so their outfits matched in everything but colour and tails.

"I'm not sure about these nails Ally," Marinette flexed her fingers to test the new black and sparkly claws Alya had stuck on for her.

"Well they can't be as good as the ones you had last time, but I'm not as good at nails as Chat Noir. You never did tell me how he got so good at art," Alya tutted.

"I told you, I don't know!"

"Mmm. Next time we'll go to him to save on mani-pedis. I still think the lipstick should be black."

Marinette thought back to the only time Chat had worn black lipstick. She felt her ears turn pink at the memory of that stupid kiss. "No, this'll do."

"What about hair?" Alya asked.

"I was thinking of a bun," Marinette explained.

"Chat's hair is all messy, have you thought about putting your hair in plaits to make it frizzy?" Alya asked.

"I don't have time now," Marinette pointed out.

"I'll grab my mum's hair curlers and we'll brush the curls into a mess," Alya said.

"Thanks Alya!"

"No sweat girl!"

As soon as she was gone, Marinette called Tikki. Tikki beamed at her. "Can I have whiskers?!"

"Does Plagg have whiskers?"

"No, but I want to put on make-up like yours!"

Alya had done Marinette's eyeliner for her, giving her wings sharp enough to cut yourself on, and lipstick that matched her skin a little too perfectly. She wouldn't have put it past Alya to have gone looking for a specific lipstick to match Marinette's skin, in case she ever had to do her make-up and didn't have lipstick. Alya was very well organised like that. Marinette picked up the smallest eyeliner pen she could find. It just happened to be silver.

"Stay still," she smiled.

Tikki froze like a statue as Marinette gave her a heart shaped nose, and six little whiskers to match her ears and tail. It was a shame no one but her could see Tikki. She looked amazing. Like a strange pink and black cat with antenna, but cute about it. Marinette was supposed to use a leather belt for her tail, but she couldn't find one the right colour, so she was using a polyester scarf her grandmother sent her for Christmas wrapped around her waist and trailing down to fall behind her knees. She had torn off a couple of tassels and stitched them together for Tikki, so except for the whiskers, they matched.

"Alright," Alya pushed the door open with her hip so Tikki had just enough time to hide, "I'm not very good at this, so we're going to have to be careful."

"Ok…"

Alya sat on her bed behind the stall Marinette sat on, and clicked the curlers like pincers, threateningly. "Do you trust me?"

Marinette's voice was a little uncertain, but she was smiling, "Yes?"

"Good. I'll try not to burn you," Alya promised.

To be fair to Alya, she didn't burn her. she very nearly burnt her hair at one point, but it such a perfect curl, so close enough to the front of her head, that they decided it could be that one curl that hangs down from the up-do. when they brushed out the rest of the curls, Marinette's hair frizzed up like Alya's, and they had to spray it with salt-spray (also borrowed from Alya's mother) to dampen it into being manageable. Then they tied it up into her usual bunches, just a lot more wild-looking. Once her hair calmed down, she looked amazing. messy, but pretty. Just like Marinette herself really.

"You and I match, kitty," Alya winked.

"My lady," Marinette took Alya's hand and bowed to kiss the back of it.

Alya threw her head back as she laughed. "I'd like to see you do that to Adrien!"

Marinette laughed. somewhere at the back of her mind she made a note of that. she'd calmed down around Adrien now, and he was a lot bubblier around her too, so the idea of winding him up like she would Alya up was a lot easier to handle now. something to consider too, possibly. The doorbell rang and Alya leapt to her feet.

"Paris needs us! Come on Chat Noir!" She cried, dramatically.

Marinette laughed, "I'd follow you to the ends of the earth my lady!"

The first to arrive, unsurprisingly, were Adrien and Nino. Alya opened the door. Nino was in a brick-orange suit with a white shirt, pointed orange ears, and a great bushy tail. Adrien was dressed up in green hoodie, green trousers, and a turtle shell on his back. his head was hidden by the hood, but he flashed them a cheesy smile.

"You two are odd couple," Alya smiled.

"Nino brought our outfits," Adrien said, shifting awkwardly.

"I wanted to come as the fox and the hound but there were no dog outfits left, so I got the next best thing," Nino explained.

Alya put her hand on her hip. "Because of that iconic duo, the fox and the turtle?"

"Because it was a turtle or a rabbit, and I thought that was too on the nose," Nino explained.

"Come on in, there's no one around but Mari so far," Alya said.

Adrien straightened up. he was eager to see what the "something cute" she had decided to go as was. Alya stepped aside, and Nino winked at her as they walked in. Adrien followed and glanced around to try and see Marinette. She wandered in from the kitchen, her staff tucked into her belt, and her one of her personal supply of biscuits that she was going to use to wind up Chat, in her hand.

"Nice to see mew," she smiled.

Bud-dum. Adrien's mouth dropped open. Alya smirked to Nino. Nino took a picture, smugly. Alya reached out, and closed Alya's mouth. Nino kept filming as Marinette played at heroic poses she'd seen Chat practice while he thought he was alone. Even Plagg peeked out of Adrien's shell to appreciate the performance. Nino filmed it.

"Go for the kiss!" Tikki urged.

Marinette grinned at her in agreement. She prowled over to Alya again, and kissed her hand in a bow girl.

"My lady."

She edged over to Nino, so he leaned back to angle his camera to fit her in. she posed with a peace sign close to her ear and a killer smiled, before kissing his hand.

"You're looking foxy," she smiled, with a wink.

As Nino chuckled, she moved over to Adrien. He looked surprised when she took his hand in hers. her eyes twinkled. She leaned down, lifted his hand to her lips, and kissed the back of his hand gently.

"Shell we dance?"

Adrien's cheeks turned pink and he gave an embarrassed smile. "Y-yeah sure. When the music starts though."

Marinette let her index and middle fingers walked up his chest, and booped his nose so he turned a deeper shade of pink. "Promises, promises."

The last thing that video of Nino's recorded was Nino turning to look at Alya, and Alya beaming like she was watching her dreams come true right in front of her eyes. Tikki peered out of Marinette's bag, and glanced around for Plagg. She heard his slight gasp, and looked up. his eyes met hers, and she beamed. His jaw dropped too. Tikki silently acted like a cat, and Plagg's eyes widened. She giggled at the shocked look on his face, and vanished back into her bag when Marinette turned to show off her outfit.

"She made them herself, just like the real things!" Alya beamed.

"Except the tail. Chat's is different," Nino pointed out.

"Let me see," Adrien said.

Marinette lifted her tail in her hand to show Adrien, blushing a little now. Adrien reached out to see her tail. His hand brushed against her rear, and she turned a deeper shade of red. Alya grinned. now things were going back to normal. Adrien was pink as he muttered an apology.

"Now you definitely owe me a dance sir," Marinette flushed.

"I promise. and I like your tail," he winked.

She smiled back. Alya elbowed Nino pointedly. Nino made a mental note to watch for when the two of them headed to the dance floor, so he could switch the music to a slow song.  
As the other guests arrived Alya got more and more irritated that she was the only Ladybug. Everyone else were arriving dressed as their akumas. Rose was Princess Fragrance, Juleka was Reflekta, Ivan was Stone Heart, the others all followed suit. It had been Marinette's idea to dress as their akumas, so they could own that part of them, even though they couldn't remember it, and show Hawk Moth that they weren't afraid of him. Also, she already had puns for every single one of them, that either she or the real Chat Noir had come up with in battle. She was dancing around now, cracking jokes to everyone close enough to hear. Every time Adrien glanced around to try and figure out who here was most like Ladybug, his eye kept going back to Marinette. He might not have known who his lady was, but his princess was right in front of him, dressed as her favourite hero… and getting it all _wrong_!

"Do you know something about this?" Alya asked Adrien firmly.

Adrien played innocent. "Something about what?"

"That no one came as Ladybug? That everyone is their akumas?" Alya said, firmly.

"Clearly you don't. You should come as Lady Wi-Fi. She had a great outfit. Kinda like Nathanael's but better," Adrien said.

Alya glanced over at Nathanael. He was scratching Marinette behind the ear, and the colour of a tomato, with a beret on his spiky hair, and a stripy shirt. His sketch pad on his wrist had the power to create or destroy anything, and Lady Wi-fi had the power to control every through her phone. She couldn't help thinking how the pair of them could team up and bring Ladybug and Chat Noir to their knees without the need of Hawk Moth. Then again if any two akumas teamed up they could probably get more than Hawk Moth had. At least they had the guts to face Ladybug and Chat Noir themselves.

"What's the deal with Mari and Nath?" Adrien asked.

"Nath? Nathanael Nath? Nothing, why?" Alya asked suspiciously.

"They seem... close."

"Is that a problem?"

"No. But Nino says she has a crush on someone and no one will tell me who!"

Alya shot a dark look across at Nino as he stood on at the DJ booth, oblivious to the glare his girlfriend was sending his way.

"Anyway, she's supposed to be staying in character. You know how big a flirt Chat Noir, she has to be one too," Alya explained.

"He doesn't flirt _that_ much! And where is she getting all those biscuits from?! I haven't seen her without one all night, always a different shape!" He said.

"She's very dedicated to her character," she shrugged.

Adrien scoffed. Chat wasn't that bad. It was almost as if she was deliberately exaggerating his character to just be annoying. Like she knew he was going to be there somehow. Or maybe she was as suspicious about who he was as Alya, and was trying to draw him out.  
Well two could play at that game.  
Alya chose not to be offended when he abandoned their conversation without saying a word. Especially when he strolled up to Marinette so breezily you'd have thought he'd forgotten that Ladybug was supposed to be there. Alya whistled at Nino. He gave a thumbs up to show he got the message.

"Can you draw me like one of your French girls?" She purred.

"We are French Marinette, all my girls are French girls," Nathanael stammered.

Marinette chose to smile at the innocence of his argument, rather than being disappointed he didn't get the reference. She seemed to have forgotten his crush on her, and was making it worse. Then Adrien tapped her on the should.

"Nice to see you a-fin," she smiled.

"A-fin?" He repeated.

She wrinkled her nose. "Not by best pun. Chat makes it look so easy, it's harder than it seems."

"I've been shell fish. I haven't kept my promise to dance with you. Are you free now?"

"Do you mind Nath?" Marinette turned to face Nathanael.

Nathanael shook his head. "N-not at all."

She smiled at him, gratefully, and took Adrien's outstretched hand. Adrien led her onto the dance floor, where the music suddenly changed into a slow dance. Alya beamed at Nino, who beamed back at her. Playing match maker drew them closer together too. Adrien smiled sheepishly at Marinette who smiled back, and fit herself against him, so they could dance. Plagg wriggled down the shell, along the floor, and into Marinette's bag where Tikki sat surrounded by biscuits. Tikki gasped. Plagg beamed.

"I thought you were dressed like that!" He said.

"Get in here!" She hissed.

Tikki dragged him into the bag before anyone could see him, and shut it tight. Now he was trapped, beaming at her like the cat that got the cream. He stood up, dusted himself down, and bowed to her.

"May I have this dance?"

Tikki's scowl softened. That cat could play her like a fiddle. She sighed in defeat and took his hand.

"What am I going to do with you?" She smiled.

He rested his forehead against hers, which was sort of like a cross between a hug and a kiss when it came to kwamis, because their heads were a little too big to hug comfortable. This lingering touch was the equivalent to a passionate embrace between sweethearts who had been apart for far too long.

"I missed you," he whispered.

She blushed and smiled. "Silly kitty."

Meanwhile, outside the bag, Marinette and Adrien were dancing like an awkward couple ay prom. It was easier to talk that way.

"Have you heard that Chat Noir is here tonight? Out of uniform?" He said.

"I heard. I also heard that Ladybug is here, out of uniform," she said.

"Any guess as to who she is?" He asked.

She shrugged, innocently. "I couldn't say."

"You know Chat pretty well, don't you? Do you think he's really here?"

"No. I've been hamming up acting like him, so he'd come over and argue with me and I could figure out who he was, but no one has. Well, no one but you, so either you've got something to tell me or he's not here."

Adrien's heart skipped a beat and he forced a smile that was a little too uneasy, "me? Chat Noir? No way! Between school and my father, where would I find the time?!"

"Are you being honest with me? I won't hesitate to use the spatula of destiny."

It was almost physically painful to hold back the laugh that Adrien so desperately wanted to give. She was eyeing him suspiciously, almost as if she expected him to cave at any second. He tried to look puzzled, but the suspicious look made him want to laugh too and now he felt he might explode. Finally Marinette gave a soft laugh that gave him the chance to ease it out of his system.

"What's a spatula of destiny?" he laughed.

"It's an inside joke… just family," she shrugged.

He smiled. His heart lifted. Family. Chat Noir was family. Even if Adrien didn't have a good one, Chat Noir did.

"Still, I kinda thought Chat'd turn up so he could try and figure out..." she trailed off.

Adrien tilted his head. "Figure out what?"

"Doesn't matter," she shrugged.

He knew what she had meant. At least he thought she did. She was thinking about him figuring out who Ladybug was. his mind was on Louis. So Louis was definitely here. But who could he be? Kim or Nathanael?  
She hadn't looked at Kim all night.  
It had to be Nathanael.

"What'd you think of Nath?" He asked, casually.

"Nathanael? He's pretty cool. Really sweet too, and an excellent artist. Why?" She asked.

"No reason. Just curious," he shrugged.

Marinette nodded. "Hey what are you doing next week?"

"Probably working on a fashion shoot with my father, why?"

"Chat and I are going collecting autumn leaves for a design I've drawn. I thought, y'know, maybe you could come too if you want," Marinette shrugged sheepishly.

"Me?" He said, a little surprised.

"Sure. You're an expert when it comes to designs, I'd love your input. And you're one of my closest friends so we could have a laugh. And you haven't met Chat yet! You're like, the only one who hasn't!" She said.

Adrien's eyes widened, and he looked sheepish too. "Well, err, like I said, I'm gonna be with my father, so I can't come. Sorry Mari."

Marinette sighed and laid her head against his shoulder as they danced together. "Such a shame. You'd like Chat. He's like you but..."

Adrien frowned. "But?"

"But... I don't know... punnier."

He felt her chuckle softly. He chuckled back. The ease with which he laughed made her smile.

"At least your father let you out tonight," she said.

"Yeah..."

So what if Gabriel didn't _technically_ allow him out tonight. He didn't have any work, and Natalie had left him alone with the gorilla. The gorilla just did what he was told when Adrien said he was totally allowed to go to the party as long as he drove him there. Really, he could get away with anything if he made sure the gorilla didn't have a reason to call Gabriel.  
Marinette's hands were in his hair again. They automatically curled up the back of his neck, and made him feel like purring. Trying to stop himself purring, he shifted, and managed to knock her bell so it jingled. He raised his head. She raised hers when he did. Adrien smirked. He moved his hand from her waist, and tickled the bell again. She blushed.

"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings," he said.

She tilted her head and gave him a funny look. He bit his lip.

"Sorry. I don't remember a lot about my grandmother, but I remember she had that embroidered on a pillow. Mother kept it in the guest room... she took it with her..."

Marinette whined gently. She lowered her arms from around her neck, and wrapped them around his middle, pulling him into a hug. He turned pink again. He felt her cheek warm against his chest, and that warmth spread around him. He smiled softly, and laid his head on hers.

"I'm ok Mari."

"Stay that way. Or you're fin-nished!"

There was a slow change from affection to annoyed groaning at the bad pun. Marinette immediately began laughing, and Adrien couldn't help grinning too.

"Did you just?!"

Marinette cackled in reply. Plagg took that as his cue to leave. He tapped his head against Tikki's again, before scurrying back down Adrien's arms and into his shell.

"Mari, you are more Chat than Chat Noir. Keep up the good work," he winked.

Marinette blushed. She scrambled into her bag and found a biscuit. She lowered her head against her chest, and held it out to him in both hands, blushing as she offered it to him. She felt like a little kid trying to give her crush a valentine's card.  
It was weird to Adrien that Marinette looked so much better as Chat Noir than he did. She was pretty anyway, but dancing with her dressed as himself, it felt like an ego stroke. Now she was giving him a biscuit. He took it, and thanked her, and he couldn't understand why his heart was beating so hard.  
The second he hurried away, Alya descended on Marinette with a million new questions. They were still busy with the interrogation when the gorilla appeared in the doorway to take Adrien home urgently. Adrien winced. He was in trouble now.  
Standing in front of Gabriel, Adrien knew the game. He bowed his head guiltily, and nodded whenever his father demanded an answer, agreeing and apologising whenever he wanted him to. Meanwhile, he let his mind drift off. Adrien always felt terrible when his father talked to him like this, but it happened to often recently that he couldn't be bothered to listen anymore.  
He thought back to the party again. His biggest regret was leaving without getting a photo of Marinette. As his father's demands wore on, he came to the conclusion he was defiantly, absolutely, certainly going to have to go to visit her again to get that picture.

"If you ever disappear like that again, I will ensure that you never leave my sight, whether you like it or not, do you understand?"

"Yes father."

Chat looked up as Marinette climbed into her room again. It was late now. She'd stayed with Nino to help clean up the party leftovers. Chat twirled in the computer seat as she came in and made her jump.

"You're not supposed to be here tonight," she huffed.

She turned her back on him to let Tikki sneak out of the bag and find somewhere more comfortable to hide.

"I saw you dancing with Adrien at the party," he said.

She pulled her shoulders back. She was keenly aware she was still in her outfit. Tikki had taken hers off. Marinette turned pink.

"Oh..."

"When you said you were going as something cute-"

She turned to face him with a hand on her hip, looking extra sassy. "I didn't know the costume would tear, so I had to go as you instead."

Chat fought the smirk that flickered at the corner of his mouth.

"Alya said you made it yourself. It must have taken a while," he said.

"I'll get her for that!" Marinette groaned.

"Can I see?" He asked.

Marinette took a step forward and turned slowly, with her arms stretched out. Chat stood up and wandered over to get a better look. He could get closer as Chat than he could as Adrien. Marinette didn't mind so much when Chat invaded her personal space. She giggled when his claws ran along her sides to try and find the seams.

"Marinette, you could have told me. I would have let you borrow my tail, so you wouldn't have to wear that," he tugged at her scarf.

"Hey!" She slapped him away so he leapt back. "I _like_ having my tail like this. It's all... floaty..."

"You make a pretty kitty," he smiled.

She smiled back. "I know."

"Can I get a picture?"

"Sure."

Chat Noir took about thirty photos of her from thirty different angles to try and get the entire outfit in. Marinette wasn't thrilled to have one photo taken, her hair was a mess, and her left ear had gotten bent, and there were crumbs in her cleavage, but she couldn't get them out because her design hugged her figure completely until it got to the bell, and flicked her collar up like a funnel. Her make-up was running too. She felt like a mess, and yet Chat just kept taking photos.

"Kitty I need a shower, let me go!" She whined.

"One more? Paw-ease pwincess?"

Marinette groaned. She was tired, but she had realised how difficult it was to keep coming up with puns like he did, so she felt he needed some kind of reward for it.

"Fine. _one_ last picture, and then I'm having a shower, putting on my pyjamas, and watching a movie before bed," she said.

"Ooh, which movie are we up to?" He asked.

"Oliver and Company," she said.

"You'll love it. It's about a cat!" He beamed.

"Are you staying?" She asked.

If his father did find a way to constantly keep an eye on him, it would be impossible to become Chat Noir for akuma fighting, let alone their visits. It wasn't worth the risk.

"Next time princess. I'll take my picture and go."

The last picture he wanted was a selfie. The two of them in matching outfits, looking cute together. Marinette held a peace sign up to her left eye so Chat mirrored her and used his right. Marinette yawned. She didn't even look at the picture before saying goodnight.

"Goodnight kitty."

"Sleep well princess."

She watched Oliver and Company curled up on the sofa with Tikki on her chest. She was practically asleep before Penny finished singing Good Company. Tikki pulled a cover over her shoulders, and wriggled into her arms to sleep there, together. Meanwhile, Adrien sat in his bedroom at home, with Plagg napping in his hair, looking at the photos he had taken of Marinette on his computer. It was a shame he couldn't use the selfie for anything without a risk of being discovered. They looked so cute together.  
Then again he couldn't even really take a photo of Plagg without it being a risk either. That was a shame too. Adrien scratched Plagg's ear gently, so he purred.

Adrien would just have to remember the good times they had, himself. Anything to keep Plagg safe.

"Happy Halloween buddy."


	10. Chapter 10

They spent hours gathering up autumn leaves to staple them together into a cute fifties style rock and roll dress. It was a lot less comfortable than it looked. It looked amazing considering they were leaves. Chat took many photos for her portfolio, because a week later, the leaves were dust in the hoover bag. The photos were now pinned on her wall. She sat on a stood, staring at that wall, trying to figure out which photos to put on a stall that she was considering advertising herself on at Christmas. The stool she was using was the stool from the stall that the family rented every Christmas. The family stall for cookies and treats that Marinette manned from this stool so often that it was fair that she got to advertise her designs there too.  
When she got fed up of that, she started knitting another jumper for Tikki for winter. Chat "helped" by chasing the yarn, until Marinette made him sit down with the yarn rolled over his hands to keep him still. While he wasn't so distracted, Marinette taught him how to knit. He was slow at first, and a little uncertain at how he could keep it neat. Marinette knitted beside him, calmly, offering help when he needed it. He got the hang of it after a few sessions and was well on his way to making a scarf. Three weeks in, Marinette presented him with a palm sized green jumper with a black paw in the centre.

"What's this?" He asked.

"You said Plagg hates the cold," she said.

His eyes widened. "This is for Plagg?"

"Yep. Let me know if it's too big or too small. I can make a new one," she said.

"He'll love it. He'll pretend he doesn't, but he will. Thank you Mari," he grinned.

Marinette shrugged like it was nothing. "Anytime kitten."

He was going to need that jumper desperately soon. December was only a few days away. Adrien needed to start thinking of Christmas presents. Until, that is, Alya and Nino got into an argument. On December first, they broke up. By December fourth Adrien and Marinette were still trying to stop their friends from getting akumatized, which turned out to be a round the clock job.  
One morning, about a week before they broke up for the holidays, Marinette sat down beside Adrien. They hadn't been able to talk much recently, since they had to put their best friends first, so Adrien was pleased to see her.

"We have to fix this," she declared.

"Alya and Nino y'mean?"

"Yes! She says she's fine but she's driving me crazy!"

"Nino's new DJ mixes have been miserable. To be fair the rest of Nino had been too."

Nino and Alya were, at that point in time, freezing to death huddled in the bushes, spying on them. Their plan, to get those two together by getting them back together, hit a snag when Adrien and Marinette began to avoid each other, to avoid being asked how their best friends were doing. Their ruthless following of the mates before dates rule ruined Alya and Nino's plans. They didn't know where to be annoyed or proud. That's when they decided to amp up the crazy. Alya still felt guilty about have to almost burn Marinette's hair with the hair straighteners her mother had brought her, while pretending to be distracted complaining about Nino.  
Adrien's hand automatically reached for her head when she showed him the singed hair, but he stopped himself before touching her.

"What's the plan then?" Adrien asked, laying his hand back on the table between them.

"Isn't it obvious? It's Christmas?" She said.

"So?"

"Mistletoe?"

"Oh!"

She chuckled. Bless his oblivion. No wonder he never realised she was in love with him if he forgot the wonders of mistletoe this close to Christmas.

"Where will we get it?" He asked.

"I don't know, but we're gonna need a lot. We need to hang it practically anywhere they're likely to go at the same time," she sighed.

Adrien picked up his phone to start searching where the best places to buy mistletoe were. Alya sighed warmly and laid her head on Nino's shoulder as Marinette leaned against Adrien to try and see his phone better. Nino chuckled affectionately and kissed Alya's hairline gently. His nose was so cold she could feel it on her forehead, but she smiled anyway. The bell went and ushered them to class.

"Can I walk you to class?" He asked.

"We're in the same class," she said.

"Is that a yes?" He asked.

Marinette laughed at the hopeful tone in his voice, "yes!"

Adrien grinned. He stood up, gathered his things, and hurried to her side so they could walk to class together. She grinned at him, and led the way, discussing her plans for how to trick Alya and Nino together. Alya and Nino peered out of the bushes to watch them leave.

"Go to class. I'll follow in a minute so it doesn't look like we were together," Alya said.

"But you'll be late," Nino said.

"Don't worry about it, just go," she said.

He stopped to kiss her cheek goodbye, before running off to tail Adrien and Marinette. Alya grinned.

"Dumb boy."

For the safety of a meeting where Alya and Nino wouldn't find them, Adrien invited Marinette back to his house. Marinette had only been there once before. Ladybug had been there a few times, but Marinette only once. Well only _inside_ once. She'd gone inside when she had to apologise to Gabriel for stealing his book (although she really didn't like the idea of apologising to the man she was so sure was her arch nemesis) but only got to the gate when giving Adrien his birthday present, which his father took anyway. Neither fact Adrien was aware. He believed this was the first time she had been inside the house ever. Last time she, Alya and Nino had had to stay in the garden with the other guests at his father's party.  
Needless to say, Adrien was a little nervous about letting her see his room. He'd spent so much time in hers, he couldn't help but notice the difference. Hers was more like a bedroom, his was more like a play pen. You know the kind. The one that keeps the toddlers safely out of the way where you don't have to deal with them as much?

"Well this is my room," Adrien paused outside the door and glanced at her over his shoulder. "Sorry about the mess... I asked the maid to let me clean it myself but... I'm not very good."

Marinette smiled and shrugged. "At least you're trying. That's all the matters."

He smiled softly as he opened the door. He was trying. He was glad someone noticed. Marinette followed him into his bedroom when he opened the door. She glanced around to take it all in as he took his place by the end of his sofa. He watched her anxiously, waiting for her approval. She smiled at the posters of Ladybug pasted up along his walls.

"You're a fan, are you?" She smiled.

"Of bugaboo?" It rolled out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Bugaboo?!"

Adrien blushed, "Chat called her that and I just sorta... picked it up?"

He must have picked it up from that stupid interview. She still couldn't believe he called her bugaboo live on tv! Under her breath she muttered, "I'll get him for that." Although if she tried it would definitely end up in yet another pillow fight where a pillow would explode and they'd arm themselves with feathers to tickle attack each other again. When Chat left that night he looked like he'd set the cat among the pigeons again.

"Did you say something?" Adrien asked, eagerly.

He was overly keen for his friend's approval of his room. They weren't usually allowed in so most of them never got to see it outside backgrounds for video chats.

"I said what's that?" She pointed to a tree in the corner.

Plagg wasn't allowed to help decorate the seven-foot giant in the main hall or he could risk being seen. Instead, so he wouldn't feel left out, Adrien brought a smaller, artificial tree for his bedroom, for Plagg to help decorate. It was kind of a mess now, but they had had fun decorating it. Almost as much fun as Adrien had watching Plagg open each drawer of the reusable advent calendar he had filled with different types of cheese, each morning. Yes he'd had to add a lock on each drawer, and no that didn't stop Plagg going through the locked twenty-fifth drawer, and stole the camembert, but Adrien wouldn't find out for weeks yet.

"It's my Christmas tree," he said, proudly.

"Then who's does the tree by the stairs belong to?" She asked.

"My father."

"Is he over compensating for something?"

The words that left her mouth were Alya's, not her own. Two weeks of constant, unfiltered, relentless conversation with Alya had left her words in Marinette's head, so they fell out as easily as they were her own. Yet she turned red when she realised what she said. Poor, innocent Adrien, didn't understand. He breezed past to try and prevent himself looking stupid. Marinette was relived.

"Alya and Nino were happy until when?" He asked.

"They started arguing," She answered.

"Why did they start arguing though? I don't understand. they didn't even drift apart, they went straight to arguing. Why?"

"Alya says he's too clingy. When she wanted to chase that akuma last week, y'know the clown one, he wouldn't let her just go alone."

Adrien frowned. "He's clingy because he wants his girlfriend to be safe?"

"He's clingy because he won't let her go alone to further her career," Marinette countered.

"What career?"

"Her career as an investigative journalist!"

"That's more like her hobby."

Marinette frowned at him. Something in her felt like arguing to defend Alya, even though she agreed with Adrien's core point. It was coming to a choice between her best friend and her crush. That would be a choice that Marinette would have to live with. So she chose Alya.

"She's building a portfolio and a critical following online. That can get her into a good university, she can go far!"

"Can she? There's a million students for every one internship, and they're unpaid. Maybe Nino's right and she shouldn't bother so much," Adrien said, calmly.

"Are you saying she should give up her dreams because Nino thinks so?" Marinette demanded.

Adrien's eyes widened. "N-no!"

Adrien and Marinette ended up getting into a heated debate. Their voices rose slightly. Adrien didn't want to argue. He didn't like arguing, which is why his father often got the better of him, but right now he was defending his best friend. He felt the need to argue.

"Alya would never ask Nino to give up being a DJ even if it took him away from her, because Alya knows that music is his life just as much as journalism is hers!" Marinette argued.

"DJ-ing is different!" Adrien rolled his eyes.

"Because it's _Nino's_ dream?" She demanded.

"No because it doesn't put him in danger!" Adrien huffed.

"Oh right because there's never any mass shootings at concerts or drug over doses at parties, or suicides in bands is there?!"

"Marinette that's danger that other people bring into a calm situation, they're rare! Alya goes out deliberately to seek dangers that will certainly be there!"

"But there are _always_ dangers! You don't think Ladybug's boyfriend would dare stop her defending the city, do you?"

"What boyfriend?!"

"I don't know!" Marinette threw her hands in the air, too frustrated to think of any other examples of people, "Chat Noir!"

Adrien choked and shook his head as he knew more than her. "Ladybug is _not_ dating Chat Noir!"

"Maybe she should because he wouldn't tell her to stop going into dangerous situations just because he worried!" Marinette huffed.

"She goes in to stop them, Alya doesn't! She just reports-"

"People have right to know about things that happen in their city Adrien! Alya is fighting for that right!"

"And she's clearly very good and enthusiastic, but if she focuses too much on that blog she'll put herself into danger that might get her killed before she gets to be a journalist!"

Marinette cried out in frustration and Adrien stared at her, frowning. They never argued like this. She barely spoke to him most of the time, and now they were supposed to be working together they were arguing. That's what Alya would call interesting, or suspicious, or both. Like there was something under the surface that caused this new dynamic in their relationship, that she would have to dig out and examine.  
Marinette was overcome with a need to kiss him. He had never been so passionate, and she had no idea how to handle it. Then it struck her, just as it had for Alya and Nino.  
Mistletoe.  
With a new plan in her mind that needed immediate attention, Marinette turned on her heels, and ran back out of the house. Adrien groaned guiltily. He chased after her.

"Marinette wait! Marinette! I'm sorry Marinette!"

He stopped halfway down the stairs and sighed as she ran out the front door. It slammed shut behind her, and Plagg crept out of Adrien's jacket.

"We're going to visit her to apologise, aren't we?" Plagg sighed.

"I didn't mean to upset her. I wanted to defend my friend," Adrien sighed.

"What do you think she was doing?"

"I know... I have to apologise."

"Give her time to calm down first," Plagg said.

Plagg really was smart when he wanted to be.

Imagine Chat Noir's surprise when he spotted Marinette's grey beret in the crowds at the winter market. He'd only stopped because he saw a plush black cat with a little green bow around its neck and huge green eyes that had made him think of her. Then, after he brought it to give it to her for Christmas, he heard her voice. She hadn't gone home like he thought she would. Well it saved him a wasted journey. Chat Noir landed in the market beside Marinette. She was standing beside a market stall searching for something to give to Chat Noir for Christmas. Her brown paper bag was full to the top of green and white bows of mistletoe, bound together with crimson ribbons. It sat on her hip and blocked her view so she didn't see Chat. Not until he ran a claw down her spine. She yelped and threw the bag up urgently. The mistletoe flew into the air too. Chat leapt forward to try and catch as many as he could. He managed to catch four of the five in his hand, and laid them in the crook of his other arm. The fifth, he hooked on his tail. It hung above his head, on his tail. He flashed her a triumphant grin. Her eyes were wide and she was pink. His face fell, confused as to why she wasn't as impressed as he expected her to be. Then he looked up.  
The mistletoe on his tail hung over the both of them. She suddenly gave a small, amused smirk, stepped forward, and kissed his cheek. He turned bright red. She smiled, and turned around to unhook the mistletoe from his tail. Once he managed to stop himself stammering, he gave a sheepish smile.

"Can I carry that for you?" He asked.

"I can do it myself," she said.

"I don't mind," he insisted.

She glanced towards her bakery. It wasn't very far, but she'd like the company. Not that Tikki was bad company, but since she couldn't be seen, sometimes she felt people thought she was going insane and talking to herself.

"Yeah ok," Marinette smiled.

Chat beamed. He took her bag from her and beamed at her. She glanced him up and down. The cold flushed his cheeks making him look paler than ever. She pulled her grey scarf off, and draped it around his neck.

"What's this?" He asked.

"I don't want you to get cold," she said.

"I'm fine!" He laughed.

"You'll get sick. No one needs a sick hero," she said.

Chat smiled warmly at her. She was a sweetheart. It was nearly impossible to go down a street and not pass festive houses with glinting lights that made the damp pavements glisten. Chat could see the trees in the windows all dolled up with sparkling tinsels and shining baubles. He could smell the intoxicating aroma of homemade cinnamon biscuits that perfumed the streets making mouths water, although most of that could have come from the bakery. The enchanting harmony of Christmas carols came carried on the whirling wind from a few blocks away. Icy wind and snow pricked his skin making his nose numb and his cheeks red. Despite the beauty surrounding them, his focus was entirely on Marinette.

"I had an argument with Lou... Adrien today," she said.

There wasn't much reason to why she didn't call him Louis this time. It just felt wrong. Like this was confession, and she had to be completely honest to get a real answer.

"What was it about?" he asked.

"My best friend. His best friend was dating her but they broke up and we're trying to get them back together," she explained.

"How did you end up arguing?" he asked.

"I started it. It's my fault," she sighed.

"That's not- I'm sure that's not true."

"It is. I'm far too protective of Alya... it's just that she's always protective of me, and I don't want to let her down."

"Adrien could understand that."

"I know he could. And I ran out without telling him why. I should apologise, he probably thinks I'm mad at him," she sighed.

Chat frowned. "You didn't leave because he upset you?"

"Upset me? No, he _inspired_ me. But I did run out right after the argument... I can see why he would think I ran because I was upset," she said.

"Inspired you to do what?" Chat asked, curiously.

Marinette glanced at the bag in Chat's hand. Her heart beat faster, nervously. "I'm going to sort everything out. first, I'll get Alya and Nino together, and then I'm going to kiss Louis."

"YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHAT?!"

"Sometimes you've got to be brave to get what you want Chat. I love him. I want him. I'm going to try and get him."

"But what if…" chat couldn't bring himself to say it.

Marinette bowed her head and gulped. "Then at least I'll know. I can't move on until I do."

Chat felt a swell of pride in his chest for her. she was far braver than he gave her credit for. Sure she could run head first into danger to save someone's life, but any fool could do that. opening yourself up to someone, knowing that they could destroy you if you do, that was harder. Even Chat couldn't do that. the idea of Ladybug not loving him back destroyed him. living it would kill him.  
they came to the bakery door, and Marinette too the bag from Chat. She didn't take her scarf back yet, just in case he was going to stay out in the cold.

"Do you want to come in for some hot coco?" she asked.

"Um…"

he glanced in at her parents who were teasing each other and laughing behind the counter in the empty bakery. His chest warmed to see them still so in love after all this time. he felt a hand brush against his, and looked up. Marinette smiled at him.

"Are you coming in?"

"Oh, um," he thought about what she had said about being brave. After all, Christmas was a time for love. "Not today… I'll come back on Thursday. Maybe we can watch the Labyrinth this time."

"I doubt it. we still haven't decorated the tree. Papa said we had to wait for you," she smirked.

"For me?" he repeated, confused.

"He thinks you don't have a home or a family to decorate with, and he doesn't want you to miss out. It's sappy, but he cares about you, so on Thursday, we're decorating the tree."

Chat lifted his head and looked in at Tom. He was the polar opposite of Gabriel. He was large and wide with softer curves, a moustache and a smile. Gabriel was skinny and sharp and scowling. Chat felt a rush of affection for this new family he had found.

"You know what, maybe I will come in for some coco."

"Go on Marinette, you can do it. start with the apology, and then be really calm as you look up, and try not to turn-"

"There he is!"

"Pink…"

Tikki sighed as Marinette's ears turned a shade of red that contrasted to the way that cold air was bleaching her cheeks. She waved to Adrien as he looked around. He smiled, and headed towards her. Tikki leapt back down into the folds of Marinette's scarf, and braced herself for embarrassment. A cold wind wound around her legs as Adrien came nearer, and Marinette didn't feel it. she was far too nervous to be anything but numb.

"H-h-hi Adrien…"

"Hey Marinette, um, look-" he began, nervously.

"No, listen, about the other day-"

"That's what I'm talking about, I never should have-"

"I shouldn't have said-"

"It was my fault-"

"I'm totally to blame, and what I mean it-"

"What I'm trying to say is well-"

 _"I'm sorry."_

The two of them looked at each other in surprise at their sudden simulations apology, and then started chuckling. At least they could just breeze past that and get that awkwardness out of the way. Now for the next part. Marinette had waited until the last day of term to tell him, so she had the weeks over Christmas to get over it if it went badly.

"Adrien, there's something I need to tell you," she muttered.

"You can tell me anything prince- um, Marinette," Adrien bit his tongue.

He stared at her, urgently, desperately willing her not to ask questions. Marinette was so wrapped up in her own little panic that she didn't notice.

"Um, I, well, I mean, we – no, I mean I. I have, um, yeah, I put them up, because, um, I wanted to – what I mean is, I wanted to… to… err…"

Marinette's stammering explanation, and Adrien's patient curiosity was interrupted by a loud yelling match from Alya and Nino across the playground. They looked to see the two of them standing under a piece of mistletoe together.

"NINO DID YOU PUT THAT THERE?!"

"ME?! I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT! _YOU_ POINTED IT OUT, _YOU_ MUST HAVE PUT IT THERE!"

"I AM NOT KISSING YOU!"

"GOOD! YOU'RE A TERRIBLE KISSER ANYWAY!"

"THE HELL I AM!"

Nino yelped as Alya grabbed him by the collar and dragged him forward to kiss him. it was a long, lingering kiss, that melted from anger to embarrassment. Nino was pink and too embarrassed to remember how to talk when Alya pushed him away. She was going to yell again, when she burst into laughter. Nino was wearing her lipstick now. she pulled a tissue out of her pocket, and held it out to him. he stared at her, frozen in shock. She smirked, and wiped his mouth free of lipstick for him.

"At least you're cute," she muttered.

Adrien turned to see at Marinette, who was grinning triumphantly at how affective her plan had been.

"Something to do with you?" Adrien asked.

Marinette blinked at him in surprise. She'd forgotten he was there. She broke into a smile, and shrugged innocently.

"I don't know what you mean."

Adrien laughed, "You're a sly one Mari! But don't worry," he patted her shoulder and winked, "your secret's safe with me."

She gave a love stuck smile as he wandered away into the school, heading to class. Tikki crept out from the folds of the scarf, and propped her head up on her hand as the two of them watched Adrien wander away.

"Weren't you supposed to kiss him?" Tikki asked.

"huh?"

Tikki gestured to the bough of mistletoe hanging from the tree branch above them. Marinette swore inwardly. She'd forgotten that was there. Adrien glanced back at Marinette.

"She is far more mischievous that I thought she could be," he said to Plagg.

Plagg glanced up at the mistletoe above Marinette. "Yeah. Very sly."

"Well at least one things for sure now," Adrien said.

"what's that then?"

"Nino is not Louis. I wonder who it is then."

Plagg face palmed dramatically. He loved Adrien, but sometimes he wondered how on earth someone this oblivious could have been chosen to save Paris.


	11. Chapter 11

"Pass me a bauble Mari!" he called.

Marinette picked up a shiny blue bauble and threw it at chat absent minded.

"Ow!" Chat said in surprise as it hit him on the back on the head.

Chat turned around menacingly to look at her. Marinette bit her lip to stop herself laughing. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Uh…passing a bauble?" Her said, innocently.

"Maybe I'll pass you a bauble!" Chat threatened, grinding.

"Maybe I'll catch it!" She said, defiantly.

He laughed at the clumsy girl. "I doubt it!"

"Wanna bet?"

"I'd win!"

"Throw it!"

"No!"

"Throw it!"

"I'm not going to throw it!"

"Come on, are you a cat or a mouse?!"

"What are you, five?! I'm not throwing the-"

Another bauble hit his head. Then his chest.

"I'm not-"

Another hit his chest again.

"I'm-"

His stomach.

"Marinette you will not-"

Another three hit his higher stomach. Tikki giggled, watching from a piece of tinsel strung above the door, safely hidden and out of the way.

"Right that's it!"

Chat leapt down from the stall, and grabbed the closest bauble to throw at Marinette. They were only plastic, so they didn't hurt, but he was careful not to be too hard anyway. Marinette dodged it, and threw one back. She threw a couple more, knocking Chats from his hand. He was impressed, but he was keen to win. He ran at her. Marinette scrambled to her feet to race away. Marinette chased him around the living room as more baubles were thrown between them.  
Then Marinette tripped over a stray bit of tinsel. He came crashing down, to the floor. Chat fell to his knees and put his arm on the ground over Marinette, so he couldn't get up.

"I've got you now!" Chat grinned.

"What are you going to do to me?" Marinette challenged, but she knew the answer.

Chat held her down to tickle her. He ran his claws across her soft belly and the groove of his collar bone, careful not to cut her. Marinette wriggled screaming with laughter trying to escape. She knocked him back, so she could jump up and try to regain some dignity.

"You win ok! You win!"

"Good! Now let's clean up."

Marinette and Chat gathered up the baubles that had gone flying all over the place, and placed them back in the box. When Tom came back from the kitchen, he filled the house with a peppermint smell as he baked and decorated cookies. It was wonderful. Marinette left him and Chat to finish decorating, and wandered over to the pile of presents and wrapping paper Sabine had left in the corner to wrap up later. Each one had a name labelled on it, so Marinette could wrap them up when she had the chance. Then Chat glanced out of the window. The little white flurry that had started on his way over here hadn't let up. now it was snowing properly.

"We should build a snow cat!" he declared.

"Maybe later. We've got to finish this before mum comes back," she said.

Chat stood up and dusted his hands off, "pass the lights, I'll get them up!"

Well it was better than having baubles thrown at her. she shifted the box towards him, and his face fell. They were all knotted together. with a twinkled in her eye, she grinned at him. he smirked back. she was keeping him busy. Adrien was liking this new, sly side of her he hadn't seen before. Very mischievous. She must have gotten it from Alya for Christmas.  
Marinette hung the finals decoration on the bristles of the tree and stepped back to admire her work. The untangled Christmas lights twinkled against the shiny multi-coloured baubles. The tinsel was hung around the edges of the ceiling with care and some was draped around the frosted tree that stood proudly dressed up before her. Sparkles and twinkles hung from its bristles and every so often a striped candy cane could be seen on the branches. Holly writhes were hung on the walls around picture frames. The top of the tree was bare.

"can I put the star on?" Chat asked, hopefully.

"I'm sorry son, that's Sabine's job. Every year one of my girls puts on the stars and makes a wish. This year it's Sabine's turn," Tom explained from the doorway.

Chat was mildly disappointed, but he understood. It was nice to have traditions like that. he glanced over at what tom was doing. He didn't need the stall to reach higher up like the others did. He was tall enough on his own. That's why he got to pin up the final detail. Mistletoe under the doorway. He glanced over at Marinette, hiding in the sitting room.

"what are you wrapping up princess?"

"Shut your eyes shut them now!" Marinette yelled.

Chat shut his eyes and froze. She stood up and moved the unwrapped presents out of the way, so he couldn't see them. Chat opened one eye to watch her. she was so eager to keep everything a surprise that he didn't even look at the presents. He was watching her. she glanced up.

"Hey! You're not allowed to open them!" Marinette scolded.

"I'm sorry Marinette but you have icing all over your mouth!" Chat grinned.

"I do?"

Marinette's tongue escaped from her mouth and crept out searching for the icing.

"Here, let me!" Chat said.

He stepped forward to try and wipe her mouth, like Alya had whipped Nino's but she held out her arms against his chest to push him back.

"Close your eyes!" Marinette repeated firmly.

"Alright, alright!" Chat said.

Chat closed his eyes and Marinette grabbed him but the shoulders to turn him around and march him out of view of the presents. Tom chuckled. He had memories of a much older girl who looked just like Marinette, doing the very same thing to him when they were younger. He hadn't seen it, but he could imagine her with that same look of stubborn determination. She pushed Chat into a seat on the other side of the room, and hurried back to her presents.

"can I open my eyes now?" chat asked.

"if you must!" she said.

Chat smiled. He was sat beside left-over baubles. bauble after bauble bounced off of Marinette's back to get her to play. Marinette rolled her eyes. she turned away from the present to glance at Chat.

"No, I will not tell you what I'm wrapping!" Marinette said.

"But it's so pretty! I wanna tear it all open!" Chat whined.

Marinette rolled her eyes again. He threw a bauble back at Chat and told him to continue decorating the tree. Downstairs they heard the front door shut. Tom stepped back, still underneath the mistletoe, and grinned like a teenager at the idea of his wife having to kiss him. she laughed when she saw him, and recognised the grin before she even saw the mistletoe. She reached up on her tiptoes to kiss her husband.

"can I come in now?" she teased.

"You're going to love it," he smiled.

He stepped aside, and Sabine came wandering in, arms full of fresh wrapping paper for their Christmas cookie boxes, and looked around the room. She gasped.

"It's wonderful. It must have taken you ages!"

"What's the point in having powers if you can't use them?" chat shrugged.

"Chat!" Marinette laughed.

He had used his staff to lift her up to reach the branches she couldn't while tom fetched the stall.

"Merry Christmas Chat. It is gorgeous," Sabine smiled.

Chat beamed. He'd never had a Christmas like this before, with a family like this before. The tree didn't look particularly amazing, but it did to them, because they had done it together. as a family. With so much love and fun together that it came off in the tree. Tikki smiled to herself. this was a wonderful place to be at Christmas.

"I left the bag with the coco in downstairs," Sabine sighed with realisation.

Tom kissed his wife's cheek again. "You must be freezing. I'll fetch the coco."

"I'll clean up the mess," Sabine said, and followed him.

Chat and Marinette could hear them laughing all the way back downstairs. Chat glanced over at Marinette. She had put on a Santa hat that she found in her mother's shopping bag as she went thought it. he took it, and pulled it on his own head before she could protest.

"Hey!" she laughed.

He posed. "How do I look?"

"Like a regular Santa claws."

"You got to my pun before I did!"

"Ah you missed it by a whisker."

"If you keep me on my claws like this, I'll have to get quicker."

"You will. Do you wanna build a snow man?" she asked.

He grinned. "Desperately."

"Come on, let's go and play!"

She ran off to find her jumper, and an idea struck Chat. When she came back, he took her by her untied scarf, and led her across the room. Curiously, but amused, she allowed him to. He placed her under the door, adjusting her so she was exactly under the mistletoe, and beamed at her.

"I'm not kissing you," she said firmly.

His tail drooped. then he shrugged. "just as well. one kiss and you wouldn't be able to resist me."

It was the cocky self-assured tone in his voice that made her do it. it was too much of a challenge that she was too competitive to let slip. She laid her hand on the curve of his neck, and pulled him down to her level. She kissed him, hard, right on the lips, just as she had to cure him of Dark Cupid's spell. When she pulled away, she didn't move her hand. Chat's eyes were saucers and he stared at her. she smirked, and tapped her finger against his bell, so it jingled again.

"Merry Christmas kitty."

Chat's cheeks turned red.

They wanted to make the most of the snow before they had to go back to school. There were only a few days left in the year, and there was a lot of snow on the ground. Nino and Alya had abandoned their break up plan after the mistletoe incident. Alya tried to keep it going, but Marinette wasn't buying it and Nino was fed up of being separate in class. To celebrate Alya, Nino, Marinette and Adrien met up to play together, and ignore how childish it sounded. Especially when the first five minutes of running towards the park they were heading for, was spent being giggling six-year olds, dusted with snow and pretending to be dragons as they bellowed out steam as breath. Marinette pretended to be the damsel running away from the ferocious Alya dragon, and ran into the park. Alya chased her as she ran. Then with Alya still pretending to be the dragon, Adrien was the gallant knight that had to slay the dragon and rescue the maiden. Marinette blushed, but her cheeks were already rosy from the cold, so it wasn't noticed. Nino shook the small tree they were standing under, and shook the snow so it fell on them. some of it hit Plagg, who was hiding in Adrien's scarf, warm and safe in his jumper. The sudden cold made him yowl. Nino grinned, thinking the noise was Adrien.

"Tag!" yelled Adrien, hitting Nino's arm.

He ran off sending up a snow storm and crackling with laughter. Nino had to take a moment to laugh at how childish this man was. then he rushed after Adrien. The two of them went racing after the girls, dragging them into playing, and after half an hour or so, it was only the girls playing. Nino and Adrien built a large snowman together. they went rolling the head all around the park, and had to lift it together to put it on the body. Still it almost crumbled apart. Just as Nino was saying if nobody touched it, it'd be fine, Alya began building a supply of snowballs. Marinette took a photo of the boys posing with their snow man, and suddenly a snowball came flying past her, and slammed into the snowman's head.

"hey!" Nino shouted.

Alya held up another snowball, and waggled her eyebrows at him. Nino recognised a challenge when his saw one. Suddenly Marinette and Alya were crouching behind a snow-covered bench, in an all-out war against the boys, with one aim. Destroy the snowman. Tikki, in her little jumper, tried to help make ammo, but she was only little herself. Plagg spotted a tree behind the bench, with a branch full of snow right above their heads, and whispered to Adrien. Adrien grinned back at him, and started aiming for the tree. When he finally hit it, the air was full of screams from the two girls, and victorious laughter for the boys, which was silenced when Alix got Nino square on the glasses with a hastily built snowball that crumbled over his face.  
he was blinded.

"I'll avenge you!" Adrien swore, dramatically, and hazily readied another snowball.

Plagg did not like the cold, but he had to admit, he was beginning to enjoy himself here. Badly aimed snowballs flew everywhere and anywhere, smashing into anything and everything that got into their way. Even Max, which they urgently apologised for, but made Kim and Alix eager for revenge. Now there were three teams. Marinette, Alya and Tikki, vs Adrien, Nino and Plagg, vs Alix, Max and Kim. In the chaotic mess of ducking and diving to avoid a face full of snow, no one noticed the lanky man trying to pass. He was hit in the face with a snowball and knocked backwards.

"KIDS! HONESTLY DON'T YOU HAVE SCHOOL TO BE IN?!" He fumed.

Marinette, Adrien and Nino filled with guilt and apology, Kim, Alix, and Alya filed with disdain, and Max filled with a need to explain that, "Actually, we don't have to return to school until-"

"I DON'T CARE! JUST GET OUT OF MY WAY!" He huffed.

"You don't have to be rude about it!" Kim snapped, defensively.

"Yeah dude, he was just explaining why you're wrong," Alix spat.

"DON'T TALK BACK TO YOUR ELDERS! KIDS THESE DAYS, HONESTLY! BACKINMYDAYYOUWOULDNEVERTALKABOUTYOURELDERSLIKETHAT! SODISRESPECTFULTHESEYOUTHES-"

Marinette's heart sank in her chest. One of these two, she wasn't certain which, was going to draw an akuma. The fun was over, as it so often was, too soon.

"Tikki-"

"IT'S TIME YOU YOUTHS LEARNT ABOUT RESPECTING YOUR ELDERS!"

"HEY MAN YOU CAN'T-"

Kim was hit by a beam of light from the new akuma, and was suddenly an elderly man, complaining about everything. "Ooh my back. slow down you kids! You're nowhere near as good as I was when I was your age!"

"Dammit…" Marinette leapt to her feet, "Everybody split up! He can't catch all of us!"

The akuma set his sights on her. the others didn't need telling twice. They scrambled to get away, and find a place to hide where he wouldn't come looking for them. but the akuma had her in his sights, and she had no way of getting away from him. until, that is, Chat Noir's silver staff landed in the snow in front of her, like a rope to safety. She latched on with both hands, and up she shot into the air, landed in his arms like a bride. He flashed her a smile.

"Bet you're glad I'm here," he said.

"I am. Elderly people love cats!" she grinned.

He laughed too, "Let's get you to safety. Bugaboo can handle this on her own for a while."

"But-"

"No arguing. I'm taking you home."

"Whatever you say kitty."

Alya filmed Chat Noir carrying Marinette, bridal style, over the roof tops high above them, and back towards her bakery. She felt an uneasiness in her chest. She had to talk to Marinette. Soon.


	12. Chapter 12

On their first day of school all year, Adrien yawned heavily. The night before he and Marinette had got into a super competitive game of snap, and neither realised how late it had gotten, and forgot about school in the morning. He didn't sleep until very late. He hadn't seen any of his friend as Adrien since the last akuma. His father kept him busy for the last edition of last year, and the first edition of this year.  
Now he was exhausted.  
Plagg was currently still sleeping in his pocket, wrapped around a block of cheese to stop him talking about running away. The way he talked about it made it sound feasible. Like running away for a while was like taking a break. Like he'd come straight back when he wanted to. _if_ he wanted to.

"Hey Nino-"

"Shh!"

Adrien frowned at Nino. Even in his sleepy state he realised his best friend was spying on something. His eyes were wide and curious and he was craning his neck to try and hear better. His gaze never left one spot. Adrien followed his gaze. Marinette was pink in the face and deeply embarrassed. She had her head in her hands and Alya was standing over her like a mother hen, hands on her hips, a scowl on her face. he could see them talking, but they were too far away to hear.

"All this work you and I have put into getting Adrien to notice you, and you're throwing it all away for a fling with a no-good alley cat?!" Alya huffed.

Marinette's voice was squeaky and urgent, "Alya we're not-"

"I swear if you're just banging him I'll be mad, but if you're falling in love I'll be SO PISSED OFF!"

"ALYA THERE IS NOTHING GOING ON BETWEEN CHAT NOIR AND I!"

"GOOD! He's just a stray Marinette! You've got your heart on a pedigree!"

Marinette wrinkled her nose. "Don't talk about Adrien like that… please?"

"See! You're still worrying about what Adrien thinks, and how Adrien feels, why throw that away for a man who can't even tell you who he is?" Alya's anger eased away into pain.

Not pain because she was hurt Marinette wasn't listening to her, or that she might go back and ruin all the work they'd put in with Adrien, more… worried. Worried that Marinette could get hurt.

"What if he goes into battle with some akuma, and they take his miraculous? Would you still love him if he wasn't Chat Noir? If he was just some guy? Would you still run out into the battle to save him?" Alya asked, anxiously.

Marinette had come close to being killed in that attack when she saved his life. that had stuck with Alya, given how close she was to the front line, constantly and voluntarily. Now she was worried that it hadn't stuck with Marinette.

"But he is Chat Noir," Marinette sighed.

"That's not what I'm asking," Alya huffed.

"He'd still be Chat Noir without his mask, so yes, I'd still love him," Marinette answered impatiently.

"so you DO love him?!" Alya demanded.

Marinette groaned, "About as much as I love you. He's my friend Alya! Nothing more!"

"How can you know that when you don't know who he is?!"

"The same way you know it about Ladybug even though you don't know who she is!"

"I've told you before Marinette, I trust Ladybug to save my life. I don't trust her to be there for the little things. when I need moral support or something!" Alya raised her voice.

Marinette was blushing again. "Alya-"

"To Chat Noir it will always be you or the city, and he will always choose the city. Which is difficult for me, because on the one hand, he'd better choose the city, but on the other…" Alya trailed off as she swallowed. She gave Marinette a look that Marinette had never seen from her before. Almost solemn and desperate. "I don't want to see you hurt Marinette."

Marinette had no argument for that. she stood up, and wrapped her arms around Alya. Alya hugged her back just as tightly. For a while, they just stood there, holding on to one another like they were making a secret promise to never let the other go. Nino and Adrien shared a look of confusion.

"What's going on?" Adrien asked.

"Alya saw Chat Noir leaving Marinette's balcony last night, and she's worried they're dating," Nino stated.

Adrien's eyes budged. His jaw dropped. His cheeks turned a brilliant shade of fuchsia. His voice was barely more than a strangled squeak, "Dating?!"

Nino didn't notice. He was busy eavesdropping. "yeah. Marinette's got this huge crush on someone, and Alya's been helping her to get them to love her back, so she's a bit worried Marinette will ruin all their work."

Louis. Adrien tried to sound casual as he asked, "Do you know who the crush is?"

"No. unless you mean Chat Noir, but I think a lot more people have a crush on him than you would expect," Nino smirked.

Adrien's cheeks cooled as he tried to be casual about all this. "I'm sure they're not dating."

Nino laughed. "Dude you couldn't sound more jealous if you tried!"

Again Adrien turned pink. "Jealous?! Marinette's just a friend!"

Nino smirked, as if he knew better, "Sure. anyway, Alya's worried about Marinette getting hurt."

Adrien frowned. He couldn't decide if he was confused or offended that Alya thought Chat would let anyone get hurt, especially one of his friends. Especially someone he loved enough to abandon his love of Ladybug for.

"Hurt? By Chat Noir? The hero?"

"Exactly. Chat could get hurt by an akuma, and maybe even killed, and Marinette would lose him forever. no one would even be able to go to the funeral and say, this man was… I dunno, Jean-Claude. She'd never get to know who he really is without the mask," Nino explained.

Adrien's frown deepened. "No… she wouldn't…"

"Mind you that's probably part of the appeal," Nino shrugged.

"How'd you mean?"

"Well Chat Noir is dashing and handsome and heroic, and mysterious. It's the mystery that brings the appeal. Trying to figure out who he is, and why he's become Chat Noir, that's what all of Paris loves most. Take Ladybug for example. Do you think you'd be crushing on her this hard if you knew she lived down by the florists on Rue des Pyramides?"

Adrien's heart missed a beat. "Do you know that? Do you have proof?!"

"No dude, it's an example! Man you have to sort out your love life," Nino sniggered. "What I mean is, if you knew who she was outside of the mysterious bubble of heroics and awesomeness, if you knew how normal she was, wouldn't she be a little less interesting? Maybe even boring?"

It would make the chase less fun, that's for sure. If he could just pop over to her house and serenade her in her living room, it wouldn't be as fun as waiting for an akuma and saving the world beside her. Chasing after her with a pun and a flirty line was far more interesting. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was the pursuit of his lady that made him so love struck. His gaze turned back to Marinette.

"Promise me you won't put yourself in danger for him again?" Alya whispered.

"I promise. Chat and I are just friends. I still love Adrien," Marinette promised.

"Good. because I've got a plan that will knock that cat out of your head," Alya said.

Marinette laughed as she pulled back from Alya. Alya held her at an arm's length, her grin returning with more mischievous oomph that ever. Even so it left both Marinette and Adrien thinking about things that they hadn't considered before.

How can a hero fall in love without endangering everyone?  
Was it possible?  
Was it worth it?

Was it?

…

"LOOK OUT!"

Ladybug leapt forward in front of chat, swinging her yo-yo so fast it became a blur of red to shield them both. Chat bit his lip as bricks bounced off of the shield. Ladybug frowned at him.

"Chat where is your head?!" she snapped.

Chat's ears dropped. His head was back with Nino. Ladybug made his heart beat erratically. She made him desperate for the smallest, simplest sign of affection. Made him crazy with love. But what was the point if he could hurt her in the same way she could hurt him? what if Nino was right and there was no point for super heroes to fall in love?  
But now, behind a shield, being attacked by yet another rock creature (these geologists and archaeologists at this retreat were much more cut throat than the models and fashion designers that were filling in for fashion week next week) was not the time or the place to tell Ladybug about his undying love for her, and how much it was distracting him that they could never be together because it was dangerous for both of them and Paris.

"Sorry, I guess I'm distracted," he muttered.

"Well don't be, you'll get yourself hurt!" she warned.

There was less anger in her voice now and more concern. Like she was worried about him being injured. That didn't much help get his head back in the game, but he tried. Although the harder he tried to focus, the more he wondered what the point was? The akuma blasted the rocks from the ground again, up into the air.

"we have to lure him away from the rocky ground!" Ladybug huffed.

"Watch out!" Chat pushed her aside.

A volcano blast of sharp rocks went zooming into the air, straight at Ladybug, until Chat shoved her out of the way. He narrowly avoided being hit himself. Ladybug thought back to what Alya had said. She and Chat were becoming so close it scared her to let him risk himself like that.

"Chat! You could have been hurt!" She hissed.

"I was protecting you!" He whined.

"It's not your job to protect me!"

"No, it's my honour."

Ladybug stared at him. It was her job to protect the city, and Chat was there as her partner, to protect the city and her. If she wanted him safe, she'd have to get herself safe first.

"Wait here, I have a plan," she lied.

Chat watched her fly off to save the day alone, again. All this time he'd come to show off to try and get Ladybug to love him even though it hadn't worked. Was he putting everyone in danger by trying?  
Suddenly he felt a powerful slam to his head, right above his eyebrow. A white-hot pain spike of pain knocked him off of his perch, and he fell backwards into a bush, where a million thorns sliced through his clothes. They were Indestructible, sure, but his face wasn't. blood trickled down like a tear, and a throbbing ache rattled his whole head. By the time he climbed out of the brambles, the akuma was gone, as was Ladybug. He groaned painfully. There was one thing in his mind.

…

Marinette heard the bell jingle in the bakery, and wandered out with a smile to help her papa serve the next customer. She reached for her apron that hung beside her mothers on the hook. As she did, she put on the brightest tone that she could, saved especially for customers.

"Hello, how can I help you to-"

The apron fell from her hand. It laid on the floor, beside her jaw. Ladybug had looked around for Chat after the akuma went, but she couldn't find him. she thought he'd had to run to transform back into himself... now he was dirty, bleeding, covered in thorns, and in the middle of her parent's bakery.

"What happened?!" She gasped.

"I'm... I'm dizzy..." he stammered.

"I hope you don't have concussion," Tom said.

"I..."

Chat stumbled a little. Marinette darted forward she caught him before he could fall. She had him in her arms, dizzy and injured.

"Take him upstairs honey. I'll be up in a minute," Tom said.

Marinette smiled softly. She helped him to his feet, and acted as support to help him struggle up the stairs. Automatically she led him into her bedroom. As carefully as she could she helped him to sit down. He hissed in pain.

"Sorry, sorry. Can you sit by yourself?" She asked.

"I struggled my way here, didn't I?" He gave a queasy smile.

Marinette nodded, anxiously. She lowered her voice so only Tikki could hear. "Try to make sure he doesn't fall, yeah?"

Tikki nodded. She leapt over his head and sat behind him, ready to catch him if he was about to fall. Marinette darted into the kitchen to find the cleaning alcohol and clean tissues.  
When she came back she found herself worrying hard. It felt like one of those scenes in tv shows that are so serious they're acted in without music. The nerve in her stomach ached to see him in pain. She knelt down beside the sofa and sat the alcohol beside her.

"Lie down for me, ok kitty?" She said, gently.

Chat swayed slightly, but he shifted to lay down. Tikki sat on his leg watching Marinette curiously. She was as gentle as she possibly could, she tugged at his collar. He hissed again.

"I'm sorry but we need to get this off to see if you've been hurt lower down," Marinette explained, softly.

"Plagg, claws in."

"Wait - no!"

There was a flash of green and Marinette covered her face with her hands. She turned her back on him as Plagg appeared. Tikki waved at Plagg. She had to stay silent. Plagg flew to Adrien's face.

"What are you doing?! Put that back on, she can't know who you are!" He hissed.

"Hi Plagg!" Adrien said, dizzily.

Marinette whined under her breath. "He's concussed. We should take him to a doctor."

"Marinette?" Tom called.

"Papa you can't come in!" She ran to her bedroom door and slammed it shut.

"Why not?" Tom asked.

"Because Chat took off his uniform and no one can look at him!"

"Then what are you going to do?"

"I'm... I'll figure something out!"

"But-"

"Call a doctor to come and check him up!"

One of their neighbours was a nurse. She was old and retired and out of practice, but she could help. Tom went to get her. Marinette and Chat were alone.

"Claws out..."

Another flash of green made Marinette heave a sigh of relief. Hesitantly, she turned to face him. He was Chat again. She could face him again. He was wincing, but he was awake.

"Don't do that kitty. Not like this," she said, softly.

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

She knelt down beside him again. "Shh, Shh, it's ok." She splashed some alcohol onto the cloth she was using. "Stay till, this is going to hurt."

Chat closed his eyes to brace himself. Marinette took a moment to take in the tears and drying blood clotting on his cheek. There was dirt on his head, and scratches all across his face. Marinette gulped. He looked so badly beaten it made her stomach ache. Her hand shook nervously as she reached out to clean his cut.  
Chat cried in pain as the alcohol burned his face. She winced as his cry turned into a hiss.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be," he groaned, "I should have looked where I was going."

His voice was croaky, and he couldn't open his eyes very wide. Marinette was a lot gentler as she moved the cloth down to his smaller cuts.

"You should do that anyway. A lot of people depend on you kitty. We don't want you to be hurt," she said, softly.

"I'm tired," he sighed.

Marinette wrinkled her nose. She gulped again. The question she had couldn't go unanswered, but she feared the answer. Her voice was hardly more than a whisper.

"Tired because you want to sleep, or tired of being a hero?"

Chat opened his eyes a little. His gaze flicked between her face and her hand on his chest as she leaned towards his face again.

"I... I could never tire of being a hero."

Something in his tone was hiding something. Marinette didn't press that. She glanced over at Tikki. Before she had Tikki, before she had Alya, she wasn't very confident. She was self-conscious and nervous. She couldn't image what Chat Noir could have gone through before this. Before he was her kitty. Losing his mother for one. He always put on a brave face, always joking always smiling. Maybe he needed Plagg as much as she needed Tikki.

"Princess?"

His voice, soft as it was, cut through the silence of the room like a hand guiding her head to look at his face.

"What is it kitten?"

"Are _you_ ok?"

Her head fell forwards in surprise. "Me? You turn up in my house barely able to stay, bleeding from the head, and you want to know if I'm ok?"

She couldn't stop herself from smiling. He smiled back. It was small and fragile, and she bit back tears that were welling in her throat. He was her hero, and even now, beaten and bloody, he was looking out for her.

"Did you do it? Kiss Louis? You never said."

"I guess not... I didn't do it. We got distracted and I... I lost the bottle."

"If he says no he's a fool. You're a brilliant woman Mari. He's blind if he can't see it."

Chat was closing his eyes again. She laid her hand on his shoulder to shake him awake again. "Stay awake kitten."

"I'm tired," he yawned.

"I know you are. Cats always are, but I need you to stay awake."

"I'm... tired..."

"Stay awake kit kat."

"But..."

Marinette took his hand in hers, and leaned on his stomach gently as she linked her fingers through his. She whispered to him again. As if rising her voice any more than that would burst some bubble keeping him awake now.

"Keep your eyes open kitty. Keep your eyes on me. If you stay awake, I promise you, I'll tell you who Louis is."

He opened one eye. "Promise?"

"Pawmise. And I pawmise you're going to be ok. You might have a scar though," she smiled.

He chuckled softly. "Maybe Ladybug can fix it."

Marinette wrinkled her nose. "She can't fix everything. She's not that good."

"She is. She's perfection." Chat said.

Marinette felt queasy at how easily he said that. At how willingly he believed it too. She didn't want to argue, so she changed the topic.

"You might have a scar, but it'll help you scare off the akumas. If your jokes don't do that first anyway."

"Meanie. You said you liked my puns," he whined.

"I do sometimes," she leaned against the sofa again. "Tell me some now."

"Can you kiss it better?"

"Is that a joke?"

Chat shook his head, a tiny, pained shake. "No... kiss it better?"

"Chat-"

"No one ever kissed any of my wounds better. I never got any. I've been wrapped in cotton wool for all of my life... I didn't think I could get hurt..."

Marinette had no idea what to say. He sounded close to crying. She blinked back her tears again. He didn't sound so concussed now. She wasn't as terrified anymore. The relief brought a need to cry now. Instead, she took a deep breath, and carefully leaned over him. Slowly, carefully, trying not to accidentally hurt him, she kissed his forehead, just beside his freshly cleaned wound. It was a soft kiss. Barely a touch. But her hair brushed against his face so he could smell her shampoo, and he felt her warm breath against his hair. He purred softly.  
It was a gentle moment that seemed to last for hours, but it was over in seconds.


	13. Chapter 13

Tom knocked on the door, and Marinette hurried to let him in. After a lot of loud talking and poking that made Chat hiss repeatedly in growing annoyance, the nurse decided that this was nothing to worry about.

"Plenty of rest will cute this quickly enough. Let him stay here and sleep for a while. Paris will understand."

"Oh, but-"

"Don't interrupt the nurse honey bun. He can stay here. He can sleep. Come on, let's leave him alone." Tom laid a hand on her shoulder and walked her towards the trap door to leave.

"Mari wait," Chat groaned.

She ducked under her father's arm and hurried back to him. there was a fear in her eyes that he had never seen before. Anywhere.

"What is it honey bun?" Tom asked, concerned. Chat waited for her to answer her father. she didn't. Tom came closer. "I'm talking to you chat."

Chat felt his chest glow at being called honey bun. The only time he heard anyone use it as a pet name were her parents for her, and that time Rose was sad and Marinette called her honey bun to make her smile. It was as if it were saved for important people. people who needed it. people they loved.  
And they loved him.

"Can I talk to princess- um, Marinette, alone please?" he asked, quietly.

Tom nodded. "I'll be downstairs. Shout if you need me."

Marinette watched him wander down the steps out of her room before turning her attention back to Chat.

"What is it kitten?"

"Will you look after Plagg for me?"

Look after his kwami? It'd be an honour. Marinette turned her back so he could transform. Adrien pulled Plagg's jumper from his pocket so he wouldn't get cold. Plagg rubbed his head against Adrien's hand gently. Adrien pushed him towards Marinette. Plagg landed in Marinette's hand.

"Hello," he smiled.

"Hello. Nice to meet you," she smiled.

He nodded. Tikki fluttered over to the plush cat that Adrien had given Marinette for Christmas. It sat proudly with her other cat teddy on her bed (which Chat still teased her about) right beside the teddy bear which held a heart shape between it's paws that was printed with Ladybug spots. Chat was a little less enthusiastic about that, because Nathanael had given it to her. Tikki picked up the cat and carried it down to Adrien. She had to stay quiet so Adrien wouldn't hear her, but she beamed at Plagg as she tucked the toy cat under his arm, so he wouldn't think he was alone. Then Tikki landed in Marinette's hand beside Plagg. Marinette held the two kwamis close to her chest as she hurried down the ladder again.

"Marinette?" Plagg asked as they wandered down the ladder.

"Yes Plagg?" She asked.

"Do you have any cheese?"

"I have loads. Cranberry, Apple & Gouda Puff Pastry Roses. Cheddar Cookies. Cheddar Choux Fritters. Apple and Cream Cheese Pies. Ricotta cheese fudge. Parmesan Popsicles. Pumpkin Baci di Dama with Mascarpone Filling. Peach Cobbler with White Cheddar Biscuit. Goat Cheese and Guava Pasta Panna Cotta. Cranberry Parmesan Shortbread Cookies. Caramelized Pecan Brie Bites. Parmesan Vanilla Pound Cake. Deep Dish Poppy Seed Cheesecake. Probably more."

Plagg was practically drooling in her hand. "Camembert?"

"I have baked Camembert."

"This is heaven."

Tikki and Marinette watched Plagg as he devoured the entire pot of baked Camembert by himself. It was difficult to decide if it was more disgusting or impressive that he could do that. Plagg decided that he liked Marinette. He couldn't move without feeling sick, and his belly peeped out from underneath his jumper, but he liked it here.

"My belly hurts," he whined.

"I'm not surprised! You ate that faster than what should be physically possible!" Marinette smirked.

Plagg groaned again, clutching his belly in pain. Marinette took pity on him. She scooped him in her hand, and gently, very gently, she rubbed his belly with her thumb.

Plagg groaned. "Stop."

"I'm helping your muscles break down the food so it's over faster, stop complaining," she explained gently.

Plagg still groaned. Tikki shook her head, smiling at how ridiculous he was being. Marinette hummed quietly as she drew circles in his fur with her thumb. After a minute or two Plagg let out a massive belch that stank of cheese. Marinette and Tikki shared a look of repulsion. Plagg, however, gave a contented sigh and leaned against her fingers.

"That's better, thanks Marinette," he said.

Marinette smiled softly, and leaned down to kiss him between his tiny ears. "You're welcome Plagg."

Plagg's tail dropped in surprise as she kissed him as gently as she had kissed Chat. A purr escaped Plagg. Tikki's eyes widened. Plagg blushed. Now he could walk again, Plagg decided it was time to go. Adrien needed to get home so his father didn't worry. Marinette protested, but Plagg insisted.

"Is Chat going to be ok?" Tikki asked Marinette hopefully.

Marinette's heart beat faster anxiously. "I hope so."

"Don't worry, he's strong. He'll be fine," Plagg said.

Marinette closed her eyes and let Plagg guide her over to where Adrien was sleeping on the sofa. Tikki tied a scarf around Marinette's eyes as a blindfold. Plagg padded up and down Adrien's chest to try and wake him up. She leaned down and shook him to wake him up. Adrien groaned.

"What's going on?" He groaned.

"Plagg says your father will worry if you don't go home. I'm sorry I can't come too. Text me when you get there. Plagg, make sure he does," Marinette said.

"I'll text you myself if it keeps that camembert coming!" Plagg promised.

Adrien scoffed. "Pig."

Plagg blew a raspberry. Tikki giggled their relationship was so different to hers and Marinette's. then again, Chat was so different to ladybug. After a moment or two there was a flash of green. Marinette's shoulders dropped as the tension ran from them.

"Thank you for helping me Marinette," he said.

"Please be careful kitty." She said.

She heard his footsteps edge away, and raised a hand to her scarf to take it off of her eyes. Then he paused, and glanced back.

"You said if I stayed awake you'd tell me who Louis was."

Her hand hesitated beside the scarf. "Yes I did."

"Will you tell me before I leave?"

"Oh... right... um..." Marinette shifted, awkwardly.

"Shall I ask Tom to bring the spatula of destiny?" He gave a crooked smile that she could hear, even though she couldn't see him.

She took a deep breath. "He's Adrien. Adrien Agreste."

There was a long silence that made Marinette frown. She raised her hand to her scarf and yanked it down so she could see again. The room was empty. She frowned.

"Where'd he go?"

He was on the balcony. He was shocked and confused as to how he hadn't noticed this before. Adrien was so desperate to talk to someone about all this that he yelled for Plagg to transform him before he reached his bedroom window. He barely made it in safely, falling across the floor as he did. Plagg went crashing into the sofa. From where he had landed on the floor, Adrien stared forward, dazed.

"Louis... is... me?!"

The very idea seemed unfeasible to him, and yet, the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. She was too anxious to talk around him, she was always complimenting him, smiling shyly, always trying to spend time with him. Marinette, his princess, was in love with him...  
Somehow it wasn't as terrible as he thought it should be. The idea that she loved him made his chest warm, even though it shouldn't. He knew a lot of girls had crushes on him, he was a model, it came with the job, but he never imagined _Marinette_ of all people to be one of them. He had known her for so long and yet had no idea about this key element of their relationship. He felt like an idiot to have missed it.

"Should I tell her I'm in love with Ladybug?" Adrien asked.

Plagg raised his head from where he had landed on the sofa. "That's your first question?"

"Should I?" He repeated.

Plagg sighed and laid his head back on the sofa. "Of course. If you love Ladybug so much there's no chance of you falling for Marinette, she deserves to know."

"What do you mean _if_? Of course I love her. I've always loved her," Adrien said.

"Then why did you ask Marinette to kiss you?" Plagg challenged, calmly.

Adrien couldn't explain that one. He bit his lip and sat up. Before he had to explain himself, a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Adrien your father would like to see you immediately," Natalie stated.

"Alright, I'll be right there," Adrien called.

Plagg stood up. He frowned at Adrien, stubbornly. "Marinette said text her when you get home."

"I'll text her in a minute," Adrien said.

Plagg flew in front of him, to stop him walking out. "Now! She told me to make sure you did it, and she fed me, so I don't want to upset her, do it now!"

"Alright! I'll do it on my way to his officer."

Plagg nodded firmly. He picked up Adrien's phone, which he had left on the table, and pushed it against his chest. Adrien frowned. Plagg never usually cared about people like this. Marinette must have done something special. Or fed him. Yeah, she probably just fed him. Plagg watched from Adrien's pocket, ensuring that Adrien typed texted Marinette immediately. It wasn't until they reached the door that he slipped deeper into the pocket.  
Adrien adjusted his outfit to try and make himself neater. He tugged his collar up and ran a nervous hand through his messy hair, careful not to touch the plaster the nurse had placed on his cut. It was red with black spots. Why the elderly retired nurse who lived alone only had Ladybug themed plasters, they didn't question, but it made Adrien smile. Like a little piece of his lady was by his side as he reached for the handle to his father's office door.  
When he stepped inside, Gabriel had his back turned to Adrien. He was admiring the huge portrait of his wife hanging on the wall. Adrien gazed at his mother again. Every time he came in here his heart ached. He missed her beyond belief.

"You asked to see me, father?" Adrien said, quietly.

Gabriel did not turn. "I did. As you are well aware Paris fashion week is in six weeks. I expect you to be sticking to schedule changes, no matter how sudden or drastic, is that understood?"

Adrien bowed his head. "Will that mean I have less time to spend with my friends?"

"Yes. And you won't be able to run off every Thursday to wherever it is you go." His voice was cold and hard and made Adrien's heart beat harder. "Where is that Adrien?"

Adrien was done for, but he wasn't about to start telling his father the truth about becoming Chat Noir once a week to go and waste time messing around with Marinette.

"Nowhere."

"Don't lie to me Adri-" Gabriel turned. His expression did not change, nor did his tone, but Adrien knew he cared by the way he stopped his sentence. "what happened to your head?"

Ah. Yes. The cut on his head. The one he got because he was distracted while fighting beside Ladybug, too busy thinking about whether or not he could get her to fall in love with him and keep Paris safe. Because he constantly put himself in danger, and defied his father's orders and broke the rules to save Paris from Hawkmoth. Whom he was speaking to now.  
How could he get out of this one?

"I... fell..." Adrien said, slowly.

"Good one," Plagg muttered.

"You fell. When? Where? Why wasn't I informed?" Gabriel demanded, without changing his tone.

Adrien thought on his feet. "I fell... in... fencing."

"And you cut your head on a sabre?"

"Through the mask. It will heal."

"When?"

"W-w-when? I d-don't know."

"The final designs are due in three weeks from now Adrien. I cannot present you to the world looking like this. If you aren't healed by the time the final designs are complete I will have no choice but to find a new model to wear it," Gabriel said firmly.

Adrien didn't like modelling. It wasn't something he wanted to be when he grew up. And yet when his father threatened to take it away, he had never been so desperate to do something.

"But father-"

"Hats are out of style. It wouldn't be covered."

"But I can't force myself to heal faster!" Adrien whined.

Gabriel was unfazed. He knew his son was Chat Noir. He had for months now. Ever since, he was keeping a harder eye on Adrien to try and figure out who Ladybug was. This was the perfect opportunity.

"Then let's hope Ladybug's magic charm can fix this."

Adrien bowed his head but his correction slipped out despite himself. "Lucky charm."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a lucky charm. Not magic..."

Gabriel stared at Adrien, with a completely natural expression, which made Adrien sink back into himself. He couldn't stand up to his father. Not even if he wanted to.

"I will find someone at the end of the week to replace you. You will still attend the fittings and practice runs, is that understood?" Gabriel asked.

Adrien bowed his head. He was still feeling groggy from the blow and shocked that Marinette loved him, and gutted that his father would replace him so easily.

"Yes father."

"Fine. Leave me now."

Adrien stood tall as he left his father's office. He wasn't supposed to show any emotions. They were a sign of weakness. As soon as that door shut between them though, he sank in on himself, utterly hurt. Plagg peaked out of Adrien's jacket to headbutt his chin gently.

"Let's go nap. Sleeping makes everything better."

Adrien awoke from his nap to find Plagg curled in the crook of her arm, texting Ladybug on his phone. More accurately he was texting Tikki because Marinette was busy watching the video Alya and Nino had made together. It was a little video about the dangers of fireworks that they had made over new year's. Ladybug and Chat Noir had the honour of setting off the first fireworks, because they were supposed to be turning on the Christmas lights for the city, but Jagged Stone suddenly became available and took their place.

"What are you up to?" Adrien groaned.

"Marinette says she hopes sleep helps," Plagg said.

Adrien sat up with sleepy urgency, hoping that he hadn't heard Plagg right. "You're texting Marinette?"

Well what was Plagg going to say? No, I'm talking to her kwami, by the way, Marinette is Ladybug?!

"She says rest up or her papa is not going to bake cookies for you anymore," Plagg said.

Adrien patted his belly. Maybe that was for the best. He had put on a pound or two from all those cookies. There's only so much fat racing around Paris can burn off, and he had to lose weight before Paris Fashion Week. _If_ he could go. Adrien felt queasy. His father wouldn't hesitate to replace him...

"Plagg pass my phone," he said.

"Can I say goodbye to Marinette?" Plagg asked.

"I have to call Ladybug!" Adrien complained.

"What? Why?" Plagg asked urgently.

Adrien sighed. "You know why Plagg."

"But-"

"Pass the phone Plagg."

Plagg begrudgingly allowed him to take the phone from him. Adrien had to lean forward to take it. The phone number he had for Ladybug was only for emergencies. This wasn't a real emergency though. He hesitated to call. She didn't hesitate to pick up.

"What is it kitty, is it an akuma?!" She asked urgently.

He felt guilty to put that panic in her tone. "Um, no... I need your help for something."

"Oh kitty!" She huffed.

"Please?"

Maybe it was the desperation in his tone, or maybe it was just curiosity to know what he so desperately needed her help for, but for some reason, there was a pause before her reply.

"Meet me on top of the arc de triomphe in ten minutes."

"Yes! Thank you! I love you!"

He froze. This wasn't how he pictured telling her he loved her. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or terrified that that was on the table now. He desperately clawed onto the phone to hear her reply. That's when he realised she had hung up. He dropped the phone into his lap.

"Do you think she heard me?" He asked nervously.

"No. She hung up. Didn't you hear her call Tikki before she did?" Plagg asked bluntly.

"No..."

"Oh. Sorry Adrien."

"It doesn't matter. Come on Plagg, we have to go. Claws out!"

Ladybug was already waiting when he arrived. She was whirling her yo-yo impatiently, obviously eager to get back to whatever she had been doing. When he landed, he was greeted by a familiar view, albeit slightly darker, since it was later than he was usually here.  
Adrien thought back to the end of May, or maybe it was early June. It was a picture-perfect afternoon. He and Marinette went for ice cream, as they often did around Mother's Day, because they kept bickering over who got to pay. The pair of them stood on the top of the arc de triomphe, counting how many different colours of cars passed by, and making bad jokes worse, until the police made them move on.  
Then they edged out to the outskirts of the city. It took a while, their ice cream had melted, but they found an open field framed with trees. They sat on the grass, lounging back in the lush greenery, staring into the deep blue, pointing out clouds that had funny shapes, and trying to guess which Jagged Stone song the other was humming. They made jokes no one else knew, and had a cartwheel race, and climbed a tree to see who could go higher. When he slipped and almost went crashing down to the ground six feet below them. His nine lives flashed before his eyes. With no regard to her own safety (again) she darted down to latch onto his arm. He was completely at her mercy as she heaved him back up to sit beside her on the branch. Tikki helped a lot. He didn't know that. They sat close enough that if one of them fell the other could catch them.  
Stretching behind the leaves and onwards forever, the sky was blue and perfect. Behind sweeping white cotton clouds, the sunshine dawned on them like halos. He could practically feel the sunshine on his face, warming him to the bone. It felt like the contentment would go on forever. Safe in their tree. Two friends on a perfect day. Talking about nothing. Knowing there's nothing they couldn't. discuss.  
They were happy then.  
They were free.  
Right now there was nowhere else he would rather be, if only to feel that free again. Even with his lady standing before him, he felt no better.

"What happened to your head?" Ladybug asked.

"I... fell while I was fencing. Why, do you want to kiss it better?" He winked.

There was less flirt than usually. He wasn't really feeling it. She could tell. Marientte still wasn't sure what happened. The best she could figure out was that he had been hit by something, probably one of the geologists rocks, probably because she told him to get his head in the game and he didn't. Part of her felt guilty. Even though she had helped him, she had still, to some extent, caused this. She yanked her yo-yo into her palm and rested it on her hip.

"Why are we here Chat?" She asked, not unkindly, but enough for him to know she wasn't pleased to be there.

"Listen, I know it's a long shot, and I know it's stupid to ask, but I need you to help me heal my head," He explained seriously.

Ladybug frowned. He couldn't tell if she was confused or just uncertain about whether or not it would work or, if it did, how safe would it be?

"How would I do that?" She asked.

Chat gave a small, sheepish shrug. "Your lucky charm can heal anything."

Ladybugs eyes widened. Now he knew what she was feeling. That alarm in her eyes, that was fear. Fear that this wouldn't be safe. That made him feel uneasy.

"We don't know if it can save people," she said.

"It saved your arm from the pixelator!" He insisted.

Her mouth twitched anxiously. He was right about that. Theoretically it would work. But then again, if it did, it should have already fixed his head. Ladybug raised her hand to draw him nearer.

"Let me see," she said.

Chat stepped forward obediently. He closed the gap between them as he did. She raised her hand to the plaster, and hesitated, waiting for permission. He winced, but allowed her to continue. Gently, very gently, she peeled back the plaster. He winced harder as she tore it off.

"Sorry!" She winced back.

He didn't reply but he opened his eyes enough to let her know he wasn't mad. Carefully, she raised her hand to his head again to check the cut. It had only been a few hours since she last saw it, and yet she could see the beginnings of a scab forming around his cut.

"Chat it isn't too bad, that should heal within three weeks. Four at a push!"

Chat groaned and took a step back sulkily. "No that's too long!"

"For what?" She asked.

Chat frowned sadly. "I can't tell you."

Ladybug sighed. She didn't like seeing him like this. He was desperate. That was dangerous. He, like anyone, was foolish when he was desperate.

"This isn't safe chat," she said.

Chat raised his eyes but not his head or voice. "Please ladybug? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

Marinette felt her heartstrings tug for her poor desperate friend. He needed her. No one else could help. Dangerous or not, she wanted to help. She _needed_ to help. But it unsettled her. She sighed.

"You're going to get us both into trouble one day."

Chat's ears flicked, "You'll do it?"

"If it's this important how can I say no?" She shrugged.

Adrien's heart lifted. He was confident she could do this. He could feel it. And if she could do this, his father would have to let him model the final designs for Paris fashion week! He could drag Marinette along! She wanted to be a fashion designer, this would be perfect for her! All thanks to his lady. Chat darted forwards and threw his arms around Ladybug. She blushed behind her mask.

"You have no idea what this means to me!" He beamed.

Ladybug eased him back gently to arm's length, blushing slightly. He gave her a lopsided smile, which made her smile back involuntarily. He was looking more like himself now.

"Wear the plaster when its healed, ok? Just in case someone asks where the scar came from," she said.

He frowned. "Oh do you think it will scar?"

"Chat I don't think this will work! a scar is the best you're going to get," she said, seriously.

Chat bowed his head. "Oh..."

Ladybug's hand lingered on her yo-yo for a moment. "Do you still want to try?"

Chat straightened up, putting on a brave face. "Yes. Definitely, yes."

Ladybug nodded. "If it doesn't work, don't blame me."

The lucky charm that she was given was another plaster, which she pointed out to him could be a bad omen. He insisted she try anyway. Ladybug took a deep breath. She threw it in the air, and the pair of them were enwrapped by the glow of lights. They hit against Chat's forehead, and it burned! Like a white-hot blaze welding his flesh shut. Chat hissed with pain, and cried out urgently. He doubled over in pain and Ladybug darted forward to hold him up.

"Kitty?! Are you ok Kitty?! Oh I don't like this!" She whined anxiously.

Adrien was in so much pain he couldn't feel the desperate grab of her hands, or how her fingers dug into him. She clawed at him, desperately trying to hold onto him, trying to find a way to stop him hurting. The bright lucky lights twirled around them again, and vanished as quickly as they appeared. Chat was weak in her arms, and she was anxiously fussing over him trying to check if he was still alive. He was breathing fine, by himself, but he was unconscious.

"Come on kitty, wake up... wake up honey... please wake up! Please..."

Her earrings beeped to let her know she had to leave. She needed to get away from here, so no one would find out who she was. She groaned inwardly.

"No, no, no! I can't change while he's like this!"

There was only one way around it. Ladybug scooped him up and carried him back to her room. She laid him down on her mattress, and climbed down from the bed, transforming back into Marinette as she did. Chat stayed on the mattress, unconscious, but shifting uncomfortably. She sat down in her chair, and stared up at her bed, watching him. Marinette had a face like someone trying to straighten a corkscrew with telekinesis.

"What are you more confused about, your powers healing chat, or the fact he's in love with you?" Tikki asked, between mouthfuls of cookie.

"He didn't mean it like that Teak," Marinette said.

"It sounded like he did."

"He didn't."

"Are you sure?

She wasn't. she wanted to be, she wanted to know for certain that he was just joking around, and that he didn't love her. That Betty wasn't Ladybug. But she couldn't be. She had never been less sure about anything.  
Well, except for one thing.  
Adrien seemed so much less appealing when Chat was around.


	14. Chapter 14

Chat Noir woke up with no issues, his head clean and healed, to find Marinette laying on the sofa below him, sound asleep. He raised a finger, and ran it along the plaster Marinette had laid on his head, where it had been before. His mouth twitched as he watched her sleep. She was adorable.

Adrien's mind drifted back to what Plagg had said. He was convinced Adrien loved Marinette. Watching Marinette right now, seeing how sweet she looked when she was sleeping, he could easily imagine falling for her. He didn't have to chase her. The thrill of the chase was lost, but it meant he could move on to better things. To returning to a warm bed after patrol, to that sleepy smile every morning, to glorious breakfasts to make up for awful morning breath, to licking the spoon after baking, to stealing kisses that already belonged to him.

To being like Tom and Sabine.

It could all be so easy if he let go of Ladybug. Clearly Ladybug thought he should give her up, otherwise she wouldnt have brought him here. Everything told him it was ok to love Marientte. Which scared him. So much so that he climbed onto the balcony and hurried home before she could wake up. He landed just in time for Natalie to knock on his door and inform him he had to wake up for piano lessons before school.

Adrien kept himself busy to avoid Marinette. Extra piano lessons, extra fencing practice, more practice on the runway, double checking his sizes to make sure his outfit was perfectly snug, anything to avoid her. Even though there were no akumas over the next two weeks Chat found excuses not to see Marinette. She came to miss him.

Adrien was true to his word though. He invited her to Paris fashion week, and he invited Alya and Nino as a buffer. Alya squished closer to Marinette.

"See?" She grinned.

Marinette blinked at her in surprise. "See what?"

"Ladybug and Chat Noir are back to their normal synchronisation, Adrien is trying to get close to you, and all you had to do was put the cat from your mind," Alya smiled and nudged her playfully.

Marinette swayed as Alya nudged her. She forced a smile, but she couldn't find it in herself to admit to her best friend that she didn't love Adrien in that way anymore. Not after all the work they put in to make him love her. She couldn't admit it to herself, how could she tell Alya?

"Here he comes!" Nino beamed.

Sure enough, he came strutting down the cat walk like he had done year in, year out, since he was knee high. The posing and the posture was second nature by now. He could (and had) done it in his sleep. This year however, he had his friends in the audience. That had never happened before. When he appeared, they started whooping and cheering in encouragement. Alya wolf whistled. Adrien tried to keep his cool. He'd had people insulting him and degrading him as he walked down the cat walk before, being rude and upsetting him, but he could handle that. Here though, with his friends cheering and whooping and whistling and clapping and generally just being over excited, he couldn't stop himself grinning. It was the first time he had his real smile on the cat walk. It was also the first time his ears turned pink on stage too. Spurred on by his mates, he started posing in more dramatic poses than he was supposed to, to make them cheer again.

Then he dabbed.

Nino and Alya leapt out of their seats to give a standing ovation, clapping loudly and whistling, despite the rest of the audience being mystified and a little annoyed by them. Marinette stood up too, a little bashful, and keenly aware that the biggest designers in the world were in this room, staring at her. Adrien twirled on the spot and strutted back down the catwalk, winking at them as he passed. Alya elbowed Marinette and gave her a proud wink. Marinette gave a queasy smile and hurriedly sat back down.

The next model was Chloe, who had demanded her father get her a part on stage, so he had blackmailed someone to get her what she wanted. Alya, Nino and Marinette fell into silence as she passed by. Chloe pretended not to care.

At the party afterwards, Marinette was whispering with Nino about all the designers that were there. She pointed as subtly as she could at the punch bowl, where one of her favourites were.

"I wish I could talk to him," she sighed.

"Why don't you?" Nino asked.

"Are you crazy?!" Marinette squeaked, her hand was already moving to cover her mouth anxiously, "I can't just go over there and talk to him! I'm a nobody!"

Nino scowled. "Marinette Dupain Cheng you are not a nobody. You are an excellent designer, a fabulous baker, and most importantly you are my friend. I'll prove it!"

Nino grabbed her hand, stubbornly, and dragged her across the room as she squealed urgently to stop him, turning redder with each determined step he took. He held onto her hand firmly when they got to the punch bowl so she couldn't run.

"Excuse me, do you know if this punch is alcoholic?" Nino asked, casually.

The designer's hair flapped as he turned his head. He eyed Nino, and shrugged. "I don't believe so."

"Thanks. Hey, my friend here is a big fan of yours," Nino said, firmly.

The designer turned his head back again to see who he meant. Marinette gave a nervous smile.

"Is that right?" He asked.

"A h-huge fan actually! I loved your recent fairy tale spread. I thought it was inspired," Marinette stammered.

He smirked. "Thank you. Excuse me-"

Nino stepped into his way. "Sir, my friend is going to be a famous designer one day, and you'll regret not taking the time to talk to her now."

"Is that so?"

"Yes sir. She designed this outfit herself and made it by hand. And she's done designs for Jagged Stone."

"Fascinating, excuse me-"

"Gabriel Agreste himself said she would be a fabulous designer one day!"

He froze. Marinette was staring at her feet again. He glanced her up and down. She had come in a neat but gorgeous dress, almost identical to the Swan Lake dress she made for Juleka, but with ladybug spots instead of purple streaks. Ladybug spots gave her more confidence when she desperately needed it. Like when she was staring into the eyes of a critically acclaimed designer she had dreamed of meeting a thousand times.

"Is what this boy is saying true?" He asked.

"Every word, sir," Marinette nodded.

"Interesting. What's your name my dear?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

He raised an eyebrow. "Of the bakery?"

Her heart skipped a beat. He knew her bakery! Adrien said his father had told a lot of his friends about the bread there, but she never imagined...

"My parent's bakery," she nodded.

"Well if you design as well as your parents bake, you will be the greatest designer of your generation. That's something I'm interested in nurturing... I am very busy tonight, obviously, but I'll be sure to visit your bakery by the end of the week to check out your portfolio. And for one pf those seeded rolls you do so well," he said.

She stared at him in awe. "I'll be honoured sir!"

He nodded, content with her reaction, and turned his head again, to look back at Nino. His voice got harder, and less willing to be messed with.

"And what did you say your name was?"

"Um, Adrien Agreste," Nino joked, nervously.

"I know that boy, you're not him," he stated.

Nino bowed his head. "I'm his friend. Nino."

"Mmm. I like your confidence Nino. Keep it up and you'll go far."

Nino and Marinette watched him walk away, and then stared at each other, slightly dazed and utterly awe struck. Nino's brilliant grin came first, glowing so brightly Marinette had to smile back. As the two of them quietly freaked out (they didn't want others to know how excited they were) Alya came wandering over.

"What was that about?" She asked.

"Nino was just proving how amazing he is!" Marinette beamed.

"Marinette you're amazingly talented, you just have to put yourself out there," Nino smiled.

"Why would I do that when you do it so well?" She grinned.

Nino laughed. The pair of them regaled Alya with the story, excited to tell others, because then it would be true! Then other people would agree and it would be the truth! Alya was delighted to show Marinette how utterly proud she was of her. By the time Adrien showed up the three of them were already grinning so much you wouldn't think they could get much happier.

"I wondered where you three went!" Adrien grinned.

"ADRIEN!"

"Excellent performance bro," Nino beamed

"You were killer!" Alya winked.

"Sorry if we got you into trouble," Marinette blushed.

Adrien beamed. "Don't be silly, I love having you guys here!"

Alya gave a pointed nod to Marinette, as if to say I told you so silently. Marinette sniggered. Adrien found it difficult to take his eyes off of her until Nino nudged him.

"Dude, is this punch alcoholic?"

"Nah, just take a cup, don't worry about it," Adrien shrugged.

"And its free?" Alya checked, seriously.

"Um, yeah?" Adrien shrugged.

"Awesome!"

Alya and Nino dove for the cups. Marinette and Adrien laughed at how perfectly Alya and Nino were suited for each other. Marinette blushed to find she was alone with Adrien. After spending so long being so deeply in love with him, it was strange to her that she could breath and talk around him without making a fool of herself. Adrien took the brunt of that.

"What's it like? Being on stage I mean?" she asked.

Her eyes were wide with curiosity, and his heart beat faster, "O-o-on stage? It's um, it's pretty cool. All eyes are on you, and if you step one foot out of line you could ruin the entire flow and mess up a whole day that had been the centre of everyone's plans for like six months, but yeah. It's fun."

Marinette frowned. She had never looked at it that way before. If he messed up, even just a little bit, he could ruin six months' worth of work for all these designers, and he'd been doing it since he could walk. She felt a tug of sympathy for him. of course he was perfect. That's what he was trained to be.

"Listen honey bun, if you need to take a moment to get away from all of this, if it becomes too much, tell me. Let me help you if you need me. Don't risk an akuma," she said, seriously.

The warmth of the honey bun faded with the mention of an akuma. Adrien looked puzzled. "Akuma? Why would I ever be akumatized?"

"Fashion week is stressful Adrien. If someone snaps, don't be disheartened. And if you're going to snap, tell me. Yeah?" she said, sympathetically.

Adrien looked down at his shoes. It had been harder recently. He put it down to the loss of his mother, since she wasn't there to help him struggle though anymore. Marinette was worried about him, even though he hadn't thought to be worried himself. Automatically her arm brushed against his, to reassure him. his ears turned pink at the touch of her finger tips.

"Hey love birds," Alya called, grinning.

Adrien turned pink and Marinette looked guilty. Alya didn't notice. She handed each of them a glass of punch. Nino handed her one of the two he was holding.

"A toast. You ready?" she asked.

Marinette glanced at Nino. He winked. The nerve in her chest eased. It couldn't be too bad if Nino was willing to go along with it. although that wasn't entirely accurate. Nino could be just as evil as Alya when he wanted to. He had his limits though, and although a fancy party like this tested them, he stuck to them.

"I want to raise a glass to Adrien. You were born handsome, and you look good in clothes," Alya declared.

Nino, Alya and Marinette cheered, "YOU LOOK GOOD IN CLOTHES!"

Adrien laughed at the pride in their voices. This wasn't something he thought he would hear his friends celebrate. Yet here they were, pleased as punch that he could wear clothes and walk in a straight line. It was insane. They were insane. He loved them so much.

Maybe that's what this was. He wasn't in love with Marinette, he just cared about her, deeply. Like a best friend. Yes. Best friend. Like Nino.

Maybe it'd be ok to go back to Marinette as Chat Noir. They were friends, weren't they? Best friends. Even if he didn't love Ladybug anymore, that didn't mean he had to love Marinette instead. He didn't have to be in love.

Nah.

It was friendship.

He'd prove it.

…

Tikki pointed out Chat in the distance before Marinette even noticed him. She darted under her bed, in the space beneath it where she would be hidden from Chat's view as he entered. Marinette hadn't seen him for a month, and as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tikki and she curled further back under the bed as they heard Chat land on the bed.

"Purr-incess?"

Marinette raised a finger to her lips to hush Tikki. Tikki covered her mouth with her hands urgently.

"Princess?"

They heard the bedsprings creak as he climbed over the bed to get over to the ladder at the end. They couldn't get any flatter against the wall, but they tried. He crept down, glancing around to try and see any clue as to where she was. she held her breath, just in case his feline senses picked up the sound.

"Marinette, are you here?"

He wondered towards the middle of the room, scratching his head in confusion. Where could she have gone? Marinette beamed as she crept across the room, quietly as possible. Chat states out into the room, with no idea where she'd gone. Tikki had to hold her breath to stop herself giggling, and it caused tears to well in her eyes. When Marinette was close enough, she leapt forward, wrapping her arms around his stomach, under his arms and across his chest. Her cheek was pressed against his shoulder. He gasped in surprise and stared down. she beamed at him around his side.

"Chaton!" She beamed and squeezed him a little tighter, "I missed you!"

Chat's shocked stare melted into a warm, affectionate smiled. She was adorable.

"I missed you too," he smiled.

It was true. He'd been scared to face her, but Thursdays were lonely alone. Marinette frowned at him and slipped under his arm to scowl at him face to face, arms folded, like a grumpy marshmallow.

"Where have you been?!"

Chat gave a shrug like it was obvious. "Saving Paris."

She shoved his shoulder in irritation. "Don't lie to me kitty. There haven't been any akumas, and you haven't texted me in a fortnight! Not even a meme! Did I do something to upset you? Can you tell me what it was, so I don't ever do it again?"

Her eyes were desperate for information. Desperate never to hurt him again, if she had in fact hurt him. Chat's heart went out to her. He hadn't meant to upset her like this. But how could he explain to her that he was feeling twisted up inside because he thought he loved her, and then he thought he shouldn't love her, because love was too dangerous in his line of work?

"Oh Mari..." he reached his fingers towards her face, and when she didn't flinch or try to move away, he ran his fingers through her hair, pushing it out of her eyes. "You didn't do anything princess. It wasn't you... It was me."

"You?" she repeated.

He bowed his head. "I was really stupid. I got myself injured because I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing when I was supposed to be fighting. Then I came here, and I put this pressure on you that you didn't need and I -"

She laid a hand on his chest to stop him. "Chat Noir you never put pressure on me. You're my friend. I care about you. You needed help and I did everything in my power to help you, because I wanted to."

He didn't raise his head. "I took off my mask..."

"I got to meet Plagg," she countered.

"I almost told you who I was, it's the one thing I'm absolutely not allowed to do, and it feels like I'm lying to you. Every time I come here, I can't help feeling like I'm letting you don't because I never tell you who I am…"

Marinette bit her lip. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye, and she was grateful for that right now. She couldn't help the need deep in her stomach that was so desperate to know who he was. she glanced down and focused her eyes onto his bell. It was easier to talk to his chest than his face with that need eating at her.

"Chat you can't tell me who you are. It's not your fault. And you were concussed, you weren't thinking straight, it wasn't your fault. I'm just glad you came to us and got help when you needed it. You could have transformed in the middle of the street otherwise."

The guilt that he couldn't tell her who he was ate at him. he decided, subconsciously, if he couldn't tell her that one thing she so deserved to know, he'd tell her everything else. Everything. Honestly. No matter how much it hurt.

"I made Ladybug heal my cut the same day," he said.

"Yeah I know. That wasn't smart."

there was a hint of… not laughter… not really. Almost laughter, but not amused. Just, like, a little chuckle. The kind that only ever appeared because if you didn't laugh you might scream. Her finger curled against his bell, gently.

"I'm sorry," he sighed.

"I'm sure you had a good reason," she shrugged.

"I did."

"Can you tell me?"

"No. I want to though."

Marinette suddenly felt an urge to beg him to be more careful in future. It was a protective urge to ensure he wouldn't get hurt again. And yet, he was a hero. She couldn't ask him not to put himself into danger, just as she couldn't promise she wouldn't. They were in the same boat. Protect Paris first, each other second, themselves last. Marinette felt an eerie sense of change coming.

"By the way, I'm sorry if I got in the way of you and Adrien," his gaze flicked up onto her face again, just in time to see her puzzled frown.

"What?"

"I heard about you and Alya arguing. She thinks were dating so you can't date Adrien. I'm sorry," he said.

Now the laughter was amused. Awkward, and a little uncomfortable, but amused. "N-no, no, honey bun, you didn't. She was upset because she thinks I'm not in love with Adrien anymore because she thinks I love you. She's worried about..."

Marinette cut herself off. Chat didn't need to hear that right now. unfortunately, he already knew what she was going to say.

"Your safety?"

Marinette bowed her head. Her hand slipped away from his bell and fell to her side. "Yeah..."

"Yeah. Being a hero sounds fun until you realise everyone you care about is always in danger of either being killed, or finding out I got killed," he sighed.

Ah. There was the change. Somewhere deep within her, a switch was flicked. She was going to make sure chat was never hurt in battle again. She reached out to take his hand in hers. Words escaped her. all she could think to do was change the subject.

"Wanna watch The Labyrinth again?"

Chat raised his head and grinned. "Yeah."

The two of them curled up on the sofa, watching the movie on her computer with a bowl of popcorn between them. they ignored the conversation that they had had, and the worry it left behind, choosing instead, to re-enact some of their favourite scenes as they played out on screen. Chat Noir was a killer David Bowie. Well he was the babe with the power after all. Marinette kept glancing over at him, to make sure he was looking content. It struck her how cute he was. so, utterly, absolutely adorable.

And hot.

It hit her like a lightning bolt to the heart. Adrien wasn't as appealing to her anymore, despite Alya's insistence, because despite the danger, she trusted Chat, and she knew he'd keep her safe. exactly when she'd fallen so hopelessly in love with him, she didn't know, but here she was. head over heels with her knight in impenetrable armour.

Oh, that's why she was his princess!

"You ok Mari?" Chat asked.

Marinette's ears turned pink. She had been staring at him in awe for five minutes now, and he was looking concerned. Marinette forced a smile and nodded. No words came to her, but not like when she was around Adrien. She didn't need words around Chat. He just understood her. he smiled back, and held out an arm. she crawled forward and laid her head against his chest. He laid his arm around her shoulders. He smiled down at her.

Marinette was such a good friend.


	15. Chapter 15

Adrien laid on his back and stared up at his ceiling, absently drawing circles on Plagg's back as he dozed on his stomach. Plagg's little snores were almost purrs. He was content to nap on Adrien as he ran his fingers in circles along his spine, blissfully unaware of the turmoil within Adrien. Plagg deserved his nap. They had just come back from patrol and stopped to see Marinette since they were going past her house.  
Adrien thought he could control it. He thought that he could beat it. He really, really did. He knew it was a tight rope to be walking along, a slippery one too, but he thought it would be fine. Yes, he loved Marinette, but he wasn't IN LOVE with Marinette. No, every fibre of his heart beat souly and singly for Ladybug, even if it were less than before.  
Until today that is.  
When he came bounding into her room, ready to hang out and do whatever she wanted to do again because last week it was his turn, and he had chosen to take her on a rooftop tour of the city. If her wrapping her arms (and sometimes legs if the gap was really wide) around him as he pole-vaulted through the city, so tightly that her shaky breath was the only thing warming his nose anymore, didn't make him fall in love with her, nothing could. He was safe to continue spending Thursday nights in her room, chatting and laughing until one of them fell asleep, or had to leave.  
Or so he thought.  
Because he landed in her bedroom, and his gaze fell on her. She had removed all her make-up, and her hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head. She was already in her pyjamas, even as she ate a bowl of ice cream that sat on her lap where her legs were folded atop the chair. She leaned backwards over the back of the chair, with the spoon dangling in her mouth, to look at him, upside down. Then she grinned at him, despite the spoon, and despite being upside down. Her smile was brighter than a million suns, and it burned its way right into his chest.  
But in the end, it was the slippers that stole his heart. He could just about see the exclusive paw-shaped slipper boots on her feet. Special Chat Noir slippers that had sold out so quickly there were fist fights and blatant bribery over pairs of them.  
Of course she had a pair.  
She was his number one fan.

And he was in love with her.

"Good, you're here!" She beamed.

Chat turned pink behind his mask, and gave an awkward wave, "h-h-hi."

"Come," she pulled the spoon out of her mouth and rolled the chair to the side to reveal a stall beside her, which she tapped with the hand the spoon was in. "sit, we have work to do."

Hesitantly, Chat wandered over, and perched on the stall. He was so rigid that his back was like an ironing board. Marinette tilted her head at this, smirked, and gently prodded him with the handle of her spoon.

"What's happening here? Did someone iron you?" She teased.

Her hand brushed against his waist as she pulled it back. He blushed deeper, and shifted away from her, awkwardly.

"Um... no. I'm err, I'm fine."

Marinette narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she swallowed down another mouthful of ice cream. He forced a smile. She didn't believe it for a second, but for whatever reason, he didn't want to talk about what was bothering him.

"Ok, so look at this," she said, moving swiftly on.

Chat Noir eased slightly, relieved that she didn't press him into telling the truth. That would have been messy. But when she leaned over for the mouth, she leaned over him too. He gulped. Her hair smelled like strawberries, and it made his chest tighten.

 _Oh wow_ , Plagg thought, _he's got it BAD!_

He had it so bad that Marinette was explaining what they were about to watch, he was just staring at her, trying not to smile too wide at the way her eyes were shining and her hands went flailing around, gesturing wildly. How hadn't he noticed how beautiful she was before? Even without make up her skin had a glow, which honestly could have been the computer screen, and her lips were chapped, but gleamed as she licked them, and her eyes!  
Oh those eyes!  
All the blue in the world, the sky, the sea, forget-me-nots, sapphires, midnight, denim jeans, not of it compared to the blue in her eyes. They were so gloriously blue that you could get lost in them and become the guy Eiffel 65 were singing about.  
Each time she blinked they were brighter. The way she was staring at him, so intensely, as if waiting for an answer - oh crap she was expecting an answer! She'd been walking all this time, and he hadn't listened to a word of it. Chat's stomach tightened, and his mind went into panic mode. Her gaze turned from intense to concerned. She reached out and touched his hand gently.

"Hey, seriously, are you ok?"

Her voice was kind and worried, but his entire attention was on her hand, on his. How he had fallen so hard so fast he'd never know. All he did know was he had to get a grip.

"Can I use your bathroom?"

"Sure. You know where it is."

"Thanks!"

Tikki appeared from behind the speaker as Chat vanished out of the doorway. She looked away from the door, to look back at Marinette.

"Well that was weird," she said.

"Was it? That cats weird so often I don't even register it anymore," Marinette smirked.

Her eyes didn't leave the door he'd just passed through. A trail of his cologne passed her, and she felt her heart beat harder. Her hand still tingled where they had touched. Tikki smirked. She had it bad. Chat had it worse. When he came back, she smiled at him. He turned red and apologised for interrupting her, and ran out onto her balcony to fly away. She watched him stumble as he hurried away, and felt a rush of disappointment.

"We need to find a way to show that kitty some love," Marinette said.

Tikki beamed, "I have an idea."

Adrien replayed that moment over and over in his mind. He could pinpoint the exact moment his heart overflooded with affection for her. The moment Ladybug was washed away for good... he wasn't sure how he felt about that one. He knew Ladybug didn't love him back, but still, replacing her like this felt like...

"What's wrong with a rebound girl?" Nino asked.

Adrien frowned as he swung his leg off the edge of his bed, the phone pinned to his ear. "Rebound girl?"

Nino's smirk could be heard through the phone. He loved how naive Adrien could be. It let him teach Adrien, like a parent teaching his son what life was all about.

"A girl you date after you break up with someone else."

Adrien frowned. "I didn't break up with anyone, I just stopped having a crush on her."

"Well there's still nothing wrong with messing around with a girl you don't want to settle down with, as long as you know where the line is," Nino shrugged.

"Wait, what?"

"There's nothing wrong with-"

"No, I know what you said, I meant, like, _what?!"_

"People do it Adrien. It called settling. Like how Alya settled for me. Don't tell her I said that," Nino smirked.

"Dude you two are on the same level, she's lucky to have you... I don't want her to think she's less than me. I don't want her to, no offence, feel like you do when you talk about Alya," Adrien sighed.

Nino shrugged. "None taken dude. Talking about Alya is my favourite thing to do after DJ-ing."

"I don't want to feel like I'm settling. I don't want _her_ to feel that either."

"Do you love her?"

"I think so."

"Then don't give her a reason to doubt that."

"Will you help me?"

"Of course!" Nino beamed. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"Marinette."

Nino choked on his drink.

...

It would have been easier to just date Adrien and ignore the fact she was in love with someone else than to tell Alya she had fallen out of love with Adrien. But it had to be done. She needed Alya's help. That's why she decided to suck it up, and ask Alya to meet her at the Louvre. Somewhere public avoided the chance that Alya would kill her, and the Louvre would remind her of that time she met Ladybug instead of being sacrificed by a Pharaoh, which was an added bonus.

"How old do you think Ladybug really is?" Alya asked.

"I don't know," she said.

Alya had been carrying this conversation since she met up with Marinette ay the bus stop. Marinette had been overly quiet and distracted. She needed to say something, and she didn't want to. Enough was enough.

"Alright, what's up?" Alya put a hand on her hip.

Marinette raised her head to look at Alya, "Huh?"

"You've been in a weird mood all day girl, what are you hiding?" Alya asked.

"I um..." Marinette trailed off.

"Go on, you can do it, just like we practiced," Tikki urged.

Marinette gulped. "We should talk..."

"Alright. Let's talk. What's going on?" Alya shrugged

Marinette frowned, "I um... I need to tell you that... well, it's just that... um..."

"Girl out with it!" Alya laughed.

She stopped laughing when she heard Marinette's reply.

"I don't love Adrien."

Alya's smile faded slowly, and in its place grew a frown. Shocked and disappointed. Stealing his phone, bribing Nino for his phone number, wasting all that money to go to the cinema together, hiding in the bushes to guide her though the zoo, pretending to break up with Nino, _the Easter egg hunt_! Everything they did to get Adrien... now it was all for nothing.  
Marinette stared down at her shoes as Alya's hard glare bore into her, like lasers through her glasses. Slowly, she tried to take in what she was saying.

"You... don't... love Adrien?"

Marinette felt her cheeks growing hot and red again. "Well, I love him, but I don't think I'm in love with him. Not like that anyway."

"But... ok... so... what happened?" Alya asked, slowly.

"I don't know for certain, but..."

Marinette turned redder as she trailed off. Alya's opinion meant so much to her, and she knew she would disapprove. It wasn't that she didn't like Chat, she didn't know enough to say that, but she was worried her. Alya was not stupid. She knew what Marinette's silence met.

Somewhere between a sigh and an irritated snarl, Alya said, "But your head got turned by a fancy feline even though I told you not to."

"It wasn't his fault. He wanted a friend, and I had to go and fall in love," Marinette sighed.

She felt guilty about it. Just under a year ago now, he had come to her aid for Nino, and she had invited him to her families Bake Off, and they were friends. Now she was going to ruin that if he didn't love her. She couldn't bear the idea of losing the friendship they had made.

"This isn't right," Alya scowled.

"I'm sorry Alya, but it is... I really like him," She confessed.

Tikki smiled at the venerable honesty in her voice, but Alya wasn't having any of that.

"No! Not the flea bag, not after everything we've done!"

"Alya-"

"It's not fair! He's dangerous Marinette! Dangerous and unreliable!"

"Alya-"

"He'll break your heart that _stupid stray_!"

"Alya, I love you, but you have got to listen to me!"

"Your heart belongs to Adrien!"

Marinette leapt forward and grabbed each of Alya's hands so she couldn't keep throwing them about as she ranted, and instead focused her attention on Marinette. Marinette tried to be understanding, but there was a flicker of anger in her chest at how rude she was being about her friend.

"My heart isn't some burden to be dumped on the doorstep of someone that doesn't want it! I get to choose who deserves it, and I get to offer it to them," she said, seriously.

Alya pulled her hands back to gesture with them, desperately, "But he loves you!"

"Adrien doesn't love me," Marinette said, plainly. It was something she has come to understand and accept now. "That hasn't changed in this long, why would it change now?"

"Because-"

"I'm not finished."

Alya wasn't used to the calm, confident, seriousness that her best friend was giving off now. It was the Ladybug in her, shining through. Alya was taken aback by it, and shut her mouth to listen to her. Marinette took a deep breath.

"Chat Noir is there for me, I know you think he's unreliable, but he never claimed to be otherwise. He's dangerous to love because I could lose him, I know. I accept that. But really, when I need him, he's there. And when he gets hurt or injured and unable to fight he needs me. He'll fight harder for me."

Alya seemed pained with worry. Her voice was quieter than usual. "Mari, you jumped into danger to save him when he was a stranger. If you fall for him, you'll do so much worse."

Marinette felt her friends worry in her chest. It hurt, but she knew she needed to see this through, openly and honestly. She would hate it if she lost Chat's friendship over this, but she couldn't stand the idea of losing Alya over anything.

"Maybe... It'll kill me to lose him, but I know what I'm getting into, and I choose it. I choose the danger, and the heartbreak and the rewards that come with it... I choose him. So I'd really appreciate it if you stopped calling him a mangy stray."

Alya felt a pang of guilt. It was easy for her to insult Chat Noir since she didn't know him at all, but her friend was asking her to stop, because she loved him...

Alya sighed. "You're really sure about this, aren't you?"

Marinette wasn't sure whether to nod or shake her head, so she shrugged. "Part of me will always love Adrien, but I have to know if I have a chance with Chat."

"Will he make you happy Mari? Even if you never find out who he is?" Alya asked.

Honesty. She had to be honest. "I don't know. But I want to find out."

"He's in love with Ladybug," Alya warned.

That bothered Marinette. If he loved Ladybug, fine. She could be with him as Ladybug. But she wasn't really Ladybug. She was just plain old Marinette. Part of her would rather be loved for being Marinette. She had to know which side of her he loved. Really loved.

"I still have to find out who Betty is. If she's Ladybug, he'll tell me," She said.

"I don't know what that means," Alya said, gently.

"I can find out who he loves before I tell him I love him," Marinette explained.

Alya nodded. "You may have to. I don't want to see you hurt."

"It'll hurt more if I don't try."

"Marinette you're crazy. But I love you, so I'll stand by you."

Alya pulled her friend into a hug. Marinette hugged her back. Both of them clung on, squeezing each other as hard as they could, as if stopping you breathing proved their love for you.

In her ear, Alya said, quietly, but seriously, "If he ever hurts you, hero or not, I'll rip him apart."

Marinette laughed and laid her head against Alya's shoulder. "I love you Alya."

Alya blinked back a tear. This was heart-breaking for her, but she powered through for Marinette's sake. As soon as she regained composure she pulled back and forced a smile.

"Alright girl, time for a new plan!"

...

The next day, at school, Marinette sat down beside Adrien with a thunk. Her leg pressed against his, and she didn't notice, but he couldn't think of anything else. The distraction choked him. Her words didn't much help.

"Adrien I need you."

"Y-y-y-you what?"

Her ears turned pink when she realised what that sounded like. "I need your help."

"Oh, right. Of course," he cleared his throat nervously, trying to summon his inner Chat Noir to calm himself, "because the last time I helped you with something, it went so well."

Marinette laughed and nudged him playfully, which made his collar hot and his cheeks pink. She didn't notice.

"Hey, if I had gotten to you to see that mistletoe, it would have gone clawlessly!"

His eyes widened, and his heart soared. "I-I'm sorry?"

She bit her lip, "Flawlessly."

A smile curled across his lips. "That's not what you said."

She wrinkled her nose, blushed a little, and moved on as briskly as possible. "A little birdy told me you can paint nails well."

Adrien suddenly frowned. He glanced around to check no one was around to hear what she had said. He wasn't worried about not being seen as masculine (that ship sailed when he became a perfume model) but if that rumour got out, people would be queuing up for him to do their nails, and he didn't have time for that.

"Who told you that?" He gulped.

Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "You did, like nine months ago, when I came in with Chat Noir nails."

His chest eased, and his shoulders fell as relief swept through him. "Really? And you remembered?"

She smiled at him, that stunning sunlit smile, "I remember everything you say."

Bah-thud. His hand moved to his chest to push his heart back into place. Breathlessly, he mumbled, "Fascinating."

She tilted her head, staring at him, patiently. "Well?"

He blinked blankly, "Huh?"

She smiled at him, which melted his heart again. "Can you teach me to paint nails too?"

"Oh, um, sure. Why?" he asked.

She looked down at the table, blushing a little, and said, "I wanna surprise my friend. He did my nails once, and-"

"Chat Noir?" Adrien was shocked.

She raised her head and blinked in surprise. "How did you-"

"I remember what you tell me too," he shrugged, and bowed his head.

Marinette beamed and nudged him again, "Aww Adrien!"

Her little giggle made it very hard to stop his heart beating like a hummingbirds. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "um, Chat wears gloves. You can't paint his nails."

She frowned, as if she hadn't thought about that. "I could paint his claws…"

"Then he'd have to fight an akuma with butterflies on his nails."

"I was going to put a Ladybug on it actually. He loves Ladybug."

She sounded a little disheartened by that, and it made Adrien eager to assure her that, even though he had been in love with Ladybug, he had moved on now. he couldn't though. it hurt to have to pretend he didn't know what Chat was thinking, especially when it could help cheer up his princess, but he had to.

"Does he?"

"Yeah... I figured out ages ago that Betty was Ladybug, but I had to tell him that Louis was-"

Marinette cut herself off. she might not be in love with Adrien anymore, but telling him that she had been at one point could still make this awkward. This friendship. And Adrien didn't deserve that. so Marinette felt that it was best not to mention it. Adrien, however, was desperate to hear her admit that she loved him. that someone could actually love him. he had spent so long giving affection that was never reciprocated, he was desperate for any sign someone loved him back.

He tried to keep that out of his voice as he half-begged, "Marinette?"

Marinette lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Do you really think he won't like his claws painted?"

Adrien's heart sank. He shrugged it off the best that he could. "He might like it, but I don't think Paris would be too impressed that their hero painted his claws."

Marinette wrinkled her nose. "Mmm. Maybe you're right. I'm going to go to the salon to see what they think."

"The girls?" Adrien smirked.

"Yeah."

"Can... can I... can I come too?"

It felt strange to ask. he was hotly aware that the only boy who ever got to sit in on those salon games was Nathanael, (and sometimes Ivan but rarely) but he wasn't sure why. To be honest, it was simply because he was the only boy who ever wanted to. The girls welcomed anyone who wanted their hair done. Sabrina came more often then she'd tell Chloe, but they would even allow Chloe to join in. possibly. Adrien stared down at the table, expecting her to tell him he wasn't welcome, because he wasn't a girl. Instead, Marinette shrugged.

"Can you do plaits?"

He lifted his head, surprised but hopeful at this possible invitation. "I can do buns."

What he didn't add, was that she taught him how to.

She shrugged again and smirked. "That'll do. Come on then."

Adrien lit up. He liked being welcome into the girls gossiping sessions. It felt supportive and funny, and playful. Plus there was a lot of grooming involved and, being a model, he was pretty well prepared for that. He gathered his things as Marinette stood up to wait for him.  
Adrien felt slightly awkward as he and Marinette wandered over to where the girls were gathered around a picnic table. Rose, Alya and Juleka were sitting on the table top, while Mylene and Alya sat on the seat. Both of them were having their hair brushed out, sat between the feet of the girls brushing their hair. Alya raised an eyebrow when she saw Adrien.

"Girls, Adrien says he can do buns, does anyone want a bun?" Marinette asked.

"I'll take one!"

Rose didn't really have enough hair for a bun, but she wanted to make Adrien feel welcome in their little gossip circle so Nathanael wouldn't be the only boy, because that made him feel a little awkward. (he was currently over in the café buying them all food, because he was uncomfortable and wanted an escape, but he liked being in that little gang. He really did.) Marinette held out a hand to help Rose climb down from the table, onto the ground, and swap places with Adrien.

"Adrien stand here, Rose, sit here, brushes are there, hair bands are there."

Adrien glanced down at the table he was now sitting on. There were hairbrushes, hair bands, a sea spray, clips, doughnuts, and various other hair care supplies laid out ready for doing each other's hair with. He picked up a bush as Rose shook out her hair, now free from it's clips. Gently as he could, he brushed Rose's hair.

"Whose hair are you doing Mari?" Juleka asked.

"I'll braid yours if you want," Marinette offered.

Juleka smiled a little. "Sounds cool."

Juleka moved to sit on the seat as Marinette climbed up onto the table beside Adrien. Juleka sat between her legs as Marinette picked up a brush. They loved doing Juleka's hair. It was soft and long and thick, and sometimes it would take four of them to finish one style in time, so it really brought them together as a group. Juleka loved those days most.

"Adrien, are you going to teach us how to paint our nails now?" Alya asked.

"Um, I will if you want, but-"

Adrien was interrupted by Rose cheering. The movement jolted her hair free from his hand and he worried for a moment that he had hurt her, but her great big beam made him realise he didn't.

"YAY! I've always wanted to be able to paint nails like a professional!"

Her enthusiasm made them grin. Adrien thought Rose was full of sunshine and it spilt out when she smiled. Marinette thought the same about Adrien. That made Alya sigh.

"But what?" she asked.

"But he pointed out that Chat Noir's claws probably shouldn't be painted, and his nails are underneath them," Marinette explained.

"Seriously? If that boy stays covered up like a nun he'll never get a hickey," Alya tutted.

Adrien and Marinette turned pink, but Marinette managed to keep her voice, unlike Adrien.

"Alya!"

"She's right though."

"Mylene?!"

Mylene turned red and hid her face, muttering, "what?! She is!"

"maybe so. That's not the point," Marinette said, "Juleka what do you and Rose do when you're just wasting time together?"

"Um… like, sleep?" Juleka shrugged.

"Nap time is the best time," Rose beamed.

Adrien beamed and laughed, "Yeah it is!"

The two of them high fived and Alya turned away so Marinette wouldn't see her roll her eyes.

"How about board games?" Mylene asked.

Alya's eyes widened and she said, loudly, "NO!"

"Why not?" Mylene asked.

"Have you ever played a board game with Marinette? She doesn't sink battle ships, she explodes them. there isn't a bank in Monopoly, it's called Marinette. Who killed Mr. Boddy? Marinette in the library with the candle stick! She _always_ wins!" Alya huffed.

Marinette grinned. "I guess I've got a very lucky charm."

Marinette pulled the lucky bracelet Adrien had made for her from her pocket at the same time that Adrien's hand instinctively moved to his back pocket, where her lucky bracelet was hidden away safely. Plagg rolled his eyes. he knew what that lucky charm was. _Tikki_. She had all the luck.

"Just tell him you're in love with him," Alya huffed.

"that's ridiculous, that wouldn't work," Marinette said.

"Adrien what would you do if a girl told you she wanted to spend more time with you because she loved you?" Alya challenged.

Probably internally combust. He certainly wouldn't be able to talk for a while, if the right girl said it. he felt his collar heat up again as the girls turned to look at him, curious as to why it was taking him so long to answer.

"I'll let you know if it ever happens," he said.

Marinette whined softly, "Aww don't get yourself down, someone will fall for you, you're awesome!"

His heart missed a beat. "Really?"

"Yeah dude, I've known you a little over two years now, and you still constantly surprise me. You're sweet, and kind, and friendly, even though you could totally be arrogant because you're hot enough to be a model, you're not. you're really nice. And you're willing to help a bunch of girls do their hair for gossip, and we trust you enough to let you near our hair, so we know you're one of us anyway," she beamed.

He bowed his head and blushed, "Thanks Marinette."

Alya was _burning_ inside. If she had said that three months ago then this stupid cat would never had gotten into her head and – no. deep breaths. She couldn't be mean about Chat Noir anymore. She had to pretend to like him. anyway, she'd never have been able to say that to him three months ago. Even then she could only string together three coherent sentences near him. This was so unfair. Fortunately, she was blessed with a great (mostly) distraction, because Hawkmoth decided to raise his wings.

"I gotta go!" Adrien said, quickly, at the exact same moment that Marinette dropped Alya's hair, unfinished, and said, "I'll be right back!"

Alya pulled her hair out of her eyes and pinned it back with a clip she found on the table, said her goodbyes to the girls, and raced towards the dust cloud forming about a mile away, phone in hand, eager to see Ladybug, but dreading seeing Chat Noir. Then a thought came to her.

What if she could figure out who Chat Noir was?

He was always less determined not to be see than Ladybug, it could be easy to follow him. easy to keep her distance so she wouldn't be noticed. If she could tell Marinette who he was, who he really was, maybe it'd be easier for both of them to decide what to do next. To protect her friend if she needed to. Alya ran a little faster.


	16. Chapter 16

Ladybug finally understood how Chat Noir had gotten injured. He wasn't paying attention because his mind was elsewhere, and even when she told him to get his head in the game, whatever he was thinking about was far too distracting. Ladybug realised this the second time she dropped her yo-yo too early, so the akuma stepped over the trip wire instead of falling on it. Her mind was too much on Chat Noir. He was luring the akuma into their trap, but he was being so - so - so _Chat Noir_ about it! Dancing and waving and blowing raspberries and terrible puns, and every time he was in sight she stared at him, because every time he was out of sight her heart stopped until she saw him again.  
And then, horror of all horrors, she didn't notice one of his minions lifting up Alya, and she very nearly because one of his pawns. At the very last moment, Ladybug threw her yo-yo to make them drop Alya, lassoed the poor girl, and dragged her closer.  
This was too much. Too distracting. She couldn't bear to see him hurt, and she was too focused on stopping anything hurting him she almost got Alya hurt.  
Ladybug and Alya landed on the roof behind the akuma. Ladybug laid a hand on Alya's head, checking for any signs that she had been hit. Internally, Alya screamed with excitement.

"Are you ok?" Ladybug panted.

"Yeah, yeah, y-yeah, I'm fine, are you? You seem distracted," Alya said.

Ladybug sighed, "Yeah, I know, I'll sort it out, don't worry. Stay down. Try not to let him see your phone or he'll try to grab you again."

As Ladybug swung away, Alya considered the possibilities that being captured again would cause Ladybug to talk to her more, and wondered if it was would really be so bad to show off her phone after all.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug called.

Chat swung himself around to see her heading this way. He ducked down to avoid the swinging arms of the akuma, and leapt forward. Ladybug gasped as the akuma reached for his tail. Without thinking, she threw her yo-yo and grabbed him around the middle, dragging him forward. He yelped as he flew through the air, straight into her arms. He landed in her arms and blinked in surprise. She forced a grin.

"I thought cats always landed on their feet."

"They do when its voluntary," Chat said.

He pulled away from Ladybug, put his feet firmly on the ground, and started to stomp back towards the akuma. She gasped and snatched his wrist to pull him back.

"No!"

Chat frowned at her in confusion, and dragged his hand back away from her, which made her inhale sharply.

"What's going on with you LB?" He demanded.

She stared at him, her heart racing with fear of the idea of losing him. Especially when she was supposed to be his partner, standing by his side to save him when he needed her. She'd already failed once. She wouldn't let it happen again. But he stared at her like she was going crazy, and part of her wondered if she was. She had to be crazy to think she could keep him safe.

Chat recognised the fear in her eyes. He had only seen it once in her before. The day they met. It felt so very, very long ago. She wasn't so vulnerable anymore. Well, not into now.

"What's wrong my lady? We should have this all wrapped up by now. What's going on?" He asked.

His hand automatically landed on her arm, making her stomach drop further. If she lost him, a touch, even as simple as this, would never happen again. She would not allow that.

"Stay here Chat, I'll deal with this myself," she ordered.

Chat frowned. "Wait - What?!"

"Stay here! Or, better yet, go keep Alya safe," she shouted.

She was going to run back into battle, but he tripped her up with his staff to stop her.

"Stop! What are you doing?! You can't put me on the side lines, I'm your partner, not your sidekick!"

Ladybug felt that hit right against her chest. "Please Chat-"

But mild resentment pinned back by being in love with her now had nothing to stop them escaping.

"No Ladybug! This is my job, I have to be there. You aren't the only hero is Paris, I'm here to help. You need me! Paris needs me!"

"I do need you, I need you to be safe, so stay here!" She said firmly.

"No."

"Chat Noir-"

"Ladybug you have to tell me the truth. You've been distracted all day, you could have stopped this three times by now-"

The akuma cleared his throat in irritation. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting?"

"JUST WAIT A MINUTE!" Chat snapped.

The akuma scowled. "Wait?! _Wait_?! I'm not waiting for-"

Chat Noir was fed up now, "WAIT A MINUTE OR A WILL CATACLYSM YOU!"

"Hawkmoth-" there was a pause as Hawkmoth explained what to do, and the akuma huffed. "oh fine!"

He sat down sulkily on the ground, and gestured for them to continue, because Hawkmoth was curious to see how the argument would end. Chat turned to glare at Ladybug, and her heart was so heavy it felt fit to burst.

"This isn't like you Ladybug, now tell me the truth," he said, seriously.

She swallowed, "I want you to be safe, because-"

"I can't stay safe! You and I were chosen for this. Chosen despite the dangers-"

"Dangers that are _waiting_!" The akuma called.

"You _have_ to be honest with me-"

"I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!" Ladybug shouted.

Chat Noir did a complete turn and had no idea what he was supposed to say. She completely wiped away his anger and left him gobsmacked.

"You - you what?"

She bowed her head, terrified about what to tell him but it was too late to back out now. She tried not to let the lump in her throat quiver in her voice, but of course it crept it.

"I love you Kitty... I love you. Completely and utterly and with my whole heart I love you. So I can't keep letting you risk your life like this! I want you to be safe, I _need_ you to be safe because... I don't know what I'd do without you."

There it was. The words he'd longed so deeply to hear his lady say for years. Words he dreamed of. Words he was desperate for. Yet now, they filled him with fear. At what point had be fallen out of love with her? He'd been enraptured by Marinette for so long he couldn't remember when the change finally happened. Just when it hit him. Now he had to face his lady, his first love, and tell her she was too late.

"My lady... I'm sorry. I've wanted you to tell me that since the day we met, but now... my heart belongs to someone else..."

That was it. Heartbreak in a single moment. It should have felt good, shouldn't it? He wasn't in love with Ladybug, so Marinette had a chance. But _damn_ it hurt to hear him say he didn't love her... Her heart snapped. She couldn't breathe anymore. It hurt too much to try.  
But Ladybug was a hero. She had to protect every citizen before herself. Even Chat Noir. So she forced the air into her burning lungs, and gulped back the ball in her throat.

"Then, for their sake, stop being so foolish."

Chat bowed his head. She was right. He'd been showing off. He knew Alya would film him and show Marinette and he was so busy trying to show off and impress her, that he wasn't thinking. He wasn't being safe. Chat glanced into her sapphire eyes and they glistened with tears. A memory of the blazing agony when he had to weld his head back together, brought back the pain. That was something he couldn't bear to risk that again. His hand slipped down her arm, and landed on her hand. His voice was barely audible.

"LB, you're my partner. We have to stand together. Even now. You have to trust me."

"I do chat!" She insisted desperately.

"Then you have to trust that I'm ok. I'm going to be ok," he glanced up to look her in the eye, "I need you to trust me."

Ladybug had never looked so vulnerable. Her head was low, but her gaze was fixed on him, visibly anxious on his behalf. Her heart ached harder, desperate to kiss him, but forbidden to... The lump in her throat slipped into her chest, and ached deeply. She swallowed, and gave a small nod. Chat flashed her a grin. She felt her heart stop. He used his staff as a helicopter blade to fly through the air, and her stomach ached to chase after him and defend him. She was heartbroken, but utterly terrified that something would happen to him. He turned away from her, cleared his throat, and faced the akuma.

"We're done, we're ready to fight again."

"Oh, goodie!" The akuma huffed.

Ladybug was no longer in the mood to be messed with. She wanted to go home, and she wanted to cry. That all transformed into deep anger that she directed entirely at the akuma. Within two minutes, the butterfly was fluttering away, and shining lights were dancing around them, fixing the damage it had created. Chat glanced around, hoping to get a chance to talk to her properly about this, but she was gone.

...

Marinette buried her face heavily into her pillow, crying messily. She was loud, but it was muffled. Downstairs, her parents were concerned, but they couldnt ask her about it, because she locked her bedroom door. Then she locked the skylight. that's when Tikki's antennas slumped downwards, like when Chat's ears sank against his head. She was sitting between Marinette's shoulder blades, feeling her back rise and fall as each sob racked through her body.  
Tikki wasn't sure how to cheer Marinette up. They'd never been in this position before. Every time Marinette threw herself across the bed like this is was because she was having a hard time dealing with Adrien. Every time there was still hope, because she never actually said anything to him, so they could fix all of this by talking. This time she had been told by the one she loved that he didn't love her back.  
What could Tikki do to help that?  
Last time Tikki was that sad, Plagg had been there to pick her back up. He sang to her. He wasn't very _good_ at singing, but it was the effort that cheered her up. Maybe Marinette would appreciate it took. Tikki's voice shook at first, but it grew a little stronger as Marinette's sobbing grew weaker.

"You think you got the best of me? Think you had the last laugh? Bet you think that everything good is gone... Think you left me broken down? Think that I'd come running back? Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong..."

Marinette turned her head on her damp pillow when Tikki paused. Quietly at first, her voice shaking too, she joined in.

"What doesn't kill you... makes you stronger... stand a little taller... it doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone..."

Together their voices got a little stronger. Both of them felt better as their voices joined together, lifting one another.

"What doesn't kill you makes a fighter. Footsteps even lighter. Doesn't mean I'm over 'Cause you're gone..."

Marinette rolled over, so Tikki was sitting on her belly rather than her back, and now when she yawned, Tikki rose and fall, but slower than before.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger... stronger. Just me, myself and I. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller, doesn't mean I'm lonely... when I'm alone..."

Her voice died in a yawn. Marinette had tired herself out. Rushing around school, chasing an akuma, getting her heart broken, sobbing the pain out, it exhausted her. Tikki was a warm spot on her chest that was alive and well, when the rest of her felt so very, very broken. The heat emanating from Tikki spread across her whole chest. It eased her breathing. Made it easier for her to drift off. Tikki curled into a ball on Marinette's stomach. This had to make her stronger. Tikki was going to be by her side to make sure of that.

Meanwhile Adrien was searching the school in hopes of finding Marinette. Ladybug's bravery had inspired him. He had to tell Marinette he loved her. And since she loved Adrien, there was no point in becoming Chat Noir to find her.

"this is a stupid idea," Plagg complained.

"She loves Adrien, she can have Adrien. I'll just have to find a way to show her my real side later," Adrien said.

"your real side being Chat Noir? The boy she spends every Thursday night with? And now she can magically talk around Adrien, after spending time with Chat, and you think there's no connection?" Plagg asked.

"there's Alya! She'll know where Mari is!" Adrien grinned.

Plagg sighed. "Kid you're so dense you make cheese look see through."

Adrien hid Plagg in his pocket and strode over to where Alya was sitting alone on a bench. As he got closer though, he realised that she didn't have her usual spark in her today. He frowned to himself. He didn't like seeing her sad.

"Hey," he said.

Alya looked up. Her shoulders sagged when she realised it was him. "Hey..."

Adrien moved to sit down beside her. She budged up to let him. "Are you ok Alya?"

"Yeah..."

"What's wrong?"

Alya lifted her head to try and argue that she was absolutely fine, and there was no way that she needed him to continue talking to her, because there was nothing that was upsetting her, but she couldn't. The way his huge green eyes waited patiently for information, eager to help, meant she couldn't lie to him. She leaned back against the back of the bench, and sighed.

"Marinette has a crush on someone I don't approve of."

"Really?"

Adrien frowned. His heart sank. Alya was the best friend of the girl he loved, and girlfriend of his own best friend. She meant so much to him, and she didn't approve of him?

Alya wouldn't look him in the eye as she said, "It sounds really ridiculous, but I wish she would go back to her last crush. We put a lot of effort into that one, and they would have been so cute together..."

Adrien felt his voice sink with disappointment. "Really?"

"It's not his fault, I'm sure he's a good guy, but I just... I'm worried about her. Chat Noir could be hurt or killed when fighting, and she'd be heartbroken. Or he could be revealed, and he could be someone she hates. No, he couldn't. Unless he's actually Chloe!" Alya gave a soft laugh.

Adrien's head snapped up, his eyes like saucers, his mouth dropped open, gobsmacked twice in one day. Breathlessly, he muttered, "That seems unlikely."

Alya groaned and rubbed her eyes in frustration, "She doesn't know him. He could be anyone. And I'm worried about Chat too!"

Adrien reeled back. What did she have to worry about Chat for? He wasn't sure if he was touched or confused.

"You are?"

"Yes!" Alya stressed, "He's so important to Paris, and she had no idea what she's doing!"

Adrien tilted his head. He had no idea what she was going to say. Alya knew Marinette better than anyone, he wanted to know what she had to say. Like I said, she was important to him.

"I love that girl, but she's reckless. She doesn't think before she acts most of the time. She could get herself in danger trying to defend him, and he'll have to put himself into danger to save her! That's not fair to him, or Ladybug, or anyone who he has to save."

Adrien bowed his head. "No..."

Alya continued, suddenly grateful to have someone listening to her complaints, "And if they stay together, and she wants to go abroad with him, and Paris gets attacked while they're gone, Ladybug won't have back up. Anything could happen! She could get hurt! Paris could hate Chat Noir afterwards, and it'd be her fault!"

"I hadn't thought of that," Adrien confessed.

"If they break up, and he's heartbroken, what if he gets akumatized? What'll Ladybug do if she has to fight Chat? Marinette could cause so many problems for him. For Paris. I know she loves him, I understand that, but at what cost?"

Alya heaved a heavy sigh and collapsed back against the bench again with a hand over her eyebrows, rubbing her head as if it could get rid of her headache. Adrien cleared his throat. This was his cue to offer words of wisdom, to ease her fear. His head was full of tangled Christmas lights, and it was time to unknot them.

"Um... I don't think you have a lot to worry about. Marinette is a smart girl. She'll understand where his responsibilities lie, and I don't think she'll try to stop him. I mean you've been to every single one of those akuma attacks right, and how often is Marinette around?"

"Almost never. She's probably the only girl in Paris never to have met Ladybug."

Just like Adrien was the only boy in Paris, never to have met Chat Noir. Alya was a journalist. She picked up on those things. Adrien was denser than cheese. He didn't notice her picking up on clues he left. He didn't notice the clues he left!

"Right. So I don't think she'll be getting in the way just to save him again any time soon. And I know Chat Noir pretty well, I don't think he'd let her prove him wrong," he said, carefully.

She raised an eyebrow. "You know him well?"

"I do. And I know her. So I know if she loves him, really loves him, and if he loves her back, they can work it all out. I'm sure they can. Love is about compromise. Chat Noir and Marinette could be perfect for each other if they remember that," he said, seriously.

Alya felt some of her nerves ease at the idea that Adrien was Chat Noir. It certainly made things easier. "Yeah. You're right. Marinette is smart. She uses her head alongside her heart. If she fell for Chat Noir there had to be a good reason for it. Thank you, Adrien."

"No, thank you," he smiled.

She frowned. "I didn't do anything."

"On Marinette's behalf. Thanks," he said.

Alya groaned. "Oh, why couldn't she have stayed in love with you?"

Adrien chuckled to himself. Under his breath he muttered, "Maybe she did."

Alya was fairly convinced she was going down the right path now, but she still needed more evidence. She wasn't entirely comfortable with the path she had created for herself to try and get that evidence, even less so now she was facing Adrien, but it was all she had. Underhand, but all she had.

"Wanna hear something dumb?" She asked.

Adrien shrugged. "Sure."

She took a deep breath. "I'm not proud of it, but I followed them into battle today hoping Chat Noir and Ladybug would get as close as they did."

Adrien looked confused. "Why?"

"Because with a little photoshop, I could make this."

Alya held out her phone. She winced at he took it from her hand. If he _was_ Chat Noir, things were about to get uncomfortable.  
Adrien looked down at the picture Alya, one of his dearest friends, was showing him. His jaw dropped. Fear took over his gut. The picture showed, quiet clearly, Ladybug and Chat Noir, kissing. He stared at her in horror. The repercussions if Marinette saw this didn't bear thinking about.

"You photoshop them into a relationship?! Why?!" He cried.

"I told you! I didn't want Marinette to date him!" She argued.

"So, you sabotaged your best friends crush?!" He fumed.

"I told you I wasn't proud of it!" She snatched her phone back and pushed it into her pocket. Guilt was crushing her shoulders. "Everyone knows Chat loves Ladybug. I thought if I could show Marinette that he loved someone else she would move on!"

Adrien's horrified expression deepened. "You _didn't_?!"

If she sent that picture to Marinette he was done for. She would be heartbroken, she wouldn't forgive him, she wouldn't believe it was fake because she wouldn't believe Alya would lie to her, and they would never end up together, and Adrien would die alone and heartbroken. He stared at Alya, desperately hoping she would tell him this was all some horrible joke. Alya just hung her head.

"I couldn't. I wanted to, but I couldn't. She'd be heartbroken, and I can't do that to her," she said.

Adrien tried to hide the sigh of relief he heaved, but Alya picked up on it.

"Don't show Marinette. Please," he said, urgently.

"What does it matter to you?" She asked.

Adrien gave a frustrated shrug because he couldn't tell her the truth and it bothered him.

"She's my friend! I want her to be happy."

Alya raised an eyebrow. "Is that it?"

"Yes. She's important to me. I want her to be happy... If Chat Noir makes her happy, then good. She deserves it. She's wonderful and generous, and far better than Chat Noir could ever be, so... yeah... Let her be happy," Adrien shrugged.

He wasn't sure how to feel anymore. Marinette had fallen out of love with Adrien to fall in love with Chat Noir. He should be pleased. But he wasn't... he couldn't figure out why.

"But Chat Noir loves Ladybug," Alya said, softly.

"No he doesn't! Um, I mean, probably doesn't. Otherwise she would know, right?" Adrien bit his lip as Plagg face palmed in his pocket.

"Right..." Alya said, slowly.

The gorilla cleared his throat. "Adrien."

Adrien glanced over at him. He didn't want this. He didn't want to leave yet. He had to make sure Alya wasn't going to ruin this. He was desperate. But he couldn't tell her why, so he had to go. He stood up reluctantly.

"I gotta go. Alya, seriously, _please_ don't show her that. For my - um, his sake. Please."

He hesitated to leave until she nodded. Not that she had any plans of showing that picture to anyone other than Adrien. Enough time stuck on that roof top, thinking about who the cool cat was behind the mask made her realise a few thinks. A few too many coincidences between Adrien and Chat. She brought the idea up to Marinette before, who protested it because Adrien was "too perfect". Now, however, it might be time to bring it up again. Alya watched as Adrien climbed into the back of the car, and drove off down the street. She let out an evil laugh.

"Found you kitty."


	17. Chapter 17

There was about a week until Valentine's day, and Adrien was falling deeper into a pit of despair. Nino had no idea why he seemed so conflicted about falling for Marinette. She was lovely. He'd known her since they were small and she'd _always_ been lovely. But when Alya was complaining about Marinette falling for Chat Noir, Nino put two and two together and came up with 3.5.  
Marinette liked Chat Noir.  
Adrien liked Marinette.  
 _That_ must be why Adrien was hurting so deeply. Well that was unacceptable. Nino would have to intervene. But if he just asked Marinette for his number, that'd be suspicious. And he couldn't go chasing Chat after an akuma attack, or he might find out who he really is. Plus Alya would be pissed if he did, especially after all the lectures he gave her about being careful and staying out of sight, so she didn't get hurt. No, he'd have to be subtler about this…  
Nino waited by his window long after everyone in his house went to sleep. He didn't feel the sleep seep in. His determination kept him awake. This was important. Not just for him, but for Adrien. Well, determination, and headphones.  
There he was!  
Nino's hero.  
He moved, cat like, through the chimney pots on top the rooves stretching past his window. He leapt two feet in the air when Nino banged on the window, which pleased Nino and made him feel guilty in equal measure. Chat tilted his head as Nino beckoned him over. He landed on the fire escape almost silently, and Nino yanked open the window between them.

"Hello citizen. Nino, right?" Chat Noir's eyes sparkled.

Usually he would have been ecstatic that Chat remembered his name. Not tonight though. Tonight, it made him feel a little guiltier. Nino cut through to the point. He couldn't drag it out. it would hurt too much.

Very seriously, Nino asked, "What are your intentions with Marinette?"

Chat Noir tilted his head, puzzled, "I'm sorry?"

"Marinette. My friend. What are your intentions with her?" Nino repeated, firmer.

Chat felt a bubble of nerve in his stomach. Lying to Marinette hurt, but lying to Nino was unacceptable. He had to avoid it at all costs.

"Um, why?" he asked.

"Tell me," Nino said, firmly.

Chat's ears flicked anxiously as he shrugged. "I intend to be her friend. There when she needs me. Ready with pizza and all that."

He gave a nervous smile, hoping that that would ease Nino's mind enough to end this conversation. it didn't. Nino folded his arms and his amber eyes bore into Chat, through the mask.

"Is that it?" He asked.

Chat licked his lips. "Um... why?"

"Is that it?" Nino repeated, firmer.

Chat opened his mouth, and then shut it. his ears flattened against his head because of the way Nino was staring at him. It was something he'd never seen before. Like he was desperately hoping that it wasn't true, that he didn't love her. like this was some kind of betrayal. That hurt more than Alya trying to break them up before they could even get together, because this was Nino. _Nino_. His first real friend.  
And friends don't lie.

Chat bowed his head. "No... I love her, and I intend to tell her that."

Nino's chest heaved, and he dropped his head. Chat Noir winced. He didn't have a lot of fans like Marinette and Nino, not like Ladybug, and he was losing him. Nino drew a deep breath from somewhere. His tone was not one to argue with.

"Don't."

Chat frowned. "Why not?"

"Please just… don't."

Nino's voice quivered. Adrien knew that one more push, one little tap, and it would all come flooding out, like a confession he just couldn't hold back anymore. He hesitated. Did he really want to know?

"Why Nino?"

"Because she'll say yes. She'll run into your arms happily, and you're _Chat Noir!_ You're literally her hero. So perfect no one else will stand a chance…" Nino hung his head with a sigh.

Chat's chest ached. The signs he'd picked up on so long ago, back when he thought Louis was Nino… it wasn't her in love with him. it was him in love with her… he closed his eyes. he had to ask, but he didn't want to know the answer.

"You Nino?"

Nino shook his head stiffly. "No, not me. Not anymore at least. I mean… My best mate, Adrien, he loves her. head over heels. He even took us all to the fashion week because he knew she wanted to go, and that he'd be too busy to keep her company, so he wanted her to not be alone..." A kind of desperation edged back into his tone again, "He's kind and thoughtful, and he cares, and he loves her, and he deserves this small, tiny piece of affection in return. His mothers gone, and his father might as well be as well, so he had nothing, and I'm begging you dude... Let Adrien have Marinette… please…"

Chat blinked in surprise. His jaw was hanging open. Whenever Nino spoke about Chat Noir it was always in awe of him. it wasn't going too far to say Nino had a bit of a crush on Chat himself. but he was still willing to stay up this late, to argue with his hero, the person he idolized, for Adrien. Now there was a precarious situation. He didn't want to smile, and make Nino think he wasn't taking this seriously, but he was so overjoyed to be loved, that his heart was glowing. He sighed.

"Nino… it's really brave what you just did. I'm sure Adrien would be proud to call you his friend. but Marinette isn't something to take or keep or win. She's a person. It's not down to me, it's down to her," Chat explained.

"yeah, I know, but… but can't you be like… like… I dunno, a little less utterly perfect?!" Nino huffed.

Chat couldn't help smirking at that one. Nino seemed so desperate to help Adrien to end up happy. That was a real friend. his first real friend. God he was so lucky he met Nino when he did. So, _so_ lucky.

"you really love your friend, don't you?" Chat said.

"He means everything to me. I told you, he doesn't have a lot of love. I want him to. He deserves to. Marinette used to love him before you came along, so I'm _begging_ you. Please let him win," Nino begged.

Chat took a deep breath, so his chest puffed out. "I can't promise you she won't choose me anyway. and I won't promise you that I will say no. she's the light of my life Nino. The highlight of my week. I'm pretty sure I would have died if she hadn't been there to save me. Twice!"

"But-"

"But I promise that if she chooses Adrien, I won't intervein. I just want her to be happy. With or without me. Cats honour."

He crossed his heart with his hand, and held it up to Nino. Nino's shoulders sagged. "See what I mean about perfect?"

Chat laughed. the capsule of joy sliced though the sorrowful silence around them, and even Nino couldn't help smiling, even though he felt so helpless inside. Chat leaned forward and laid a hand on Nino's shoulder.

"You're a good friend Nino."

"Not good enough. I can't even help my friend get laid."

Chat's cheeks flushed pink and he took his hand back quickly. "Yeah, well, um, I'm sure he appreciates the effort."

Nino chuckled softly. "yeah, maybe…"

Chat's cat ears picked up a cry of alarm somewhere across the city. He was needed elsewhere. But Nino needed him too. Sometimes it was tough to be a hero.

"It's late. You have school in the morning. Get some rest," Chat said.

"yeah… dude, thanks anyway."

"Goodnight Nino."

Alya turned up on Nino's doorstep when he was still in his pyjamas. She had been awake for at least two hours already. If she slept at all that is. She probably didn't. she didn't quite often. He hadn't. Not well anyway. it showed.

"Did you sleep?" he yawned.

Alya sniggered. "Did you? You look worse than I feel."

"I… it's a long story," He sighed.

"I know the feeling. Go get dressed and you can tell me on the way to school," Alya practically ushered him back into the house.

Half an hour later Alya had packed him a breakfast to eat on the go, so they wouldn't be late, and packed his bag because he left his (unfinished) homework on the side even though it was due in second lesson. They were bundled up in warm clothes from the moment they stepped out of the door, because that icy wind blasted them relentlessly.

"Chat Noir could be good for Marinette. He could bring out her fun side, and she could reign him in, and they could be a good couple, right?" Alya asked.

Nino gave her a pained look. "Adrien is in love with Marinette Alya."

Alya smirked. "I know."

Nino stopped dead in the middle of the street, "What'd you mean you know?! Who told?!"

"I may have glasses but I'm not blind Nino! He's one smitten kitten," Alya sniggered.

Nino stared at her, confused at why she hadn't felt the need to tell him. then she wandered back to his side, linked her arm though his, and they wandered down the street again, sharing in the warmth of each other.

"Then you'll help me split them up?" he asked.

Alya frowned at him in confusion. "Split them up? Nino, didn't you get my message?"

"What message?" he frowned.

"the one I sent like two days ago!"

"I don't have voicemail anymore, I forgot the password and it's too much effort to change it,"

"You're hopeless you are," she rolled her eyes, but leaned closer towards him, affectionate about his uselessness. She lowered her voice slightly, so she could just be heard above the wind. "I found out who Chat Noir is."

"Really?! Who?"

Nino gasped in horrified awe. He didn't actually want to know anymore. He didn't want to know who he had bargained with last night, because if he knew them, it would be so embarrassing to have to face them. Alya, however, had no one else to share her discovery with, and was eager to tell Nino. Her eyes sparkled behind her glasses.

"Adrien."

Nino stopped dead again, and Alya peeled away from him to drink in his reaction. Nino went through all five stages of grief over the next five minutes. Starting with the shock and denial.

"ADIREN?! _OUR_ ADRIEN?!"

"SHHH!" she hissed, and nodded eagerly. "I think so."

Nino let it sink in for a moment, and then wrinkled his nose, unconvinced. "Like you thought Chloe was Ladybug?"

Alya scowled at him, indignantly. "No! Better than that! that was stupid, this time I have more evidence."

"real evidence?" He arched an eyebrow.

"well it might not hold up in a court of law, but it's pretty damn compelling," She said, firmly.

Nino's unconvinced expression changed to annoyance. "That's stupid Alya! This whole thing is stupid! Chat Noir isn't Adrien, that's ridiculous!"

"Don't take that tone with me!"

"It can't be Adrien!"

"Why not?!"

"Because…" Nino searched for explanations, but found only questions. "Because if he's Chat Noir, how comes it's taken us so long to notice?"

"Under your nose is the last place you look," Alya shrugged.

Nino's frown deepened, "But he's been at akuma scenes before… he and Ladybug fought Riposte together."

"Yeah, but Chat Noir didn't. he's still the only boy in our class who's never met Chat Noir, _and_ never been akumatized."

"Yeah but… But…" Nino's confused frown saddened. "But that means the only love he gets he gets in secret. No one can know who he is. No one can really love him. but no one really loves Adrien anyway, except you and me… Imagine being a hero of Paris, and not being loved for being yourself."

Nino bowed his head sadly for his friend. he hated that Adrien wasn't appreciated for the modelling work his father forced him to do, so the idea that in his limited spare time he also saved Paris, and was unappreciated for that too, deeply upset him. Alya growled in frustration.

"Dammit Nino! Now you've made me sad!"

"I made myself sad," Nino sighed.

"Dammit," Alya grumbled.

She grumbled under her breath as she struggled against her pocket to get her phone into her hand, and had to yank off her fox-coloured gloves with her teeth to be able to use it. Nino watched, fascinated.

"What are you doing?"

"Phoning Adrien!"

Nino's eyes widened. She couldn't drop a bombshell like Adrien being Chat and then invite him over!

"WHY?!"

"Because I want him to come into school early, so he can come get breakfast with us, and he doesn't have to be lonely," Alya snapped.

Nino, despite Alya's aggressive tone, could hear the concern in her voice. She was protective of him too, extra so now she knew he was Chat Noir, and she wasn't about to let him be sad if she could avoid it. That warmed the cockles of Nino's heart.

"I love you Alya," he said.

She pressed the phone to her ear as it rang. "I love you too dofus."

As the phone rang something dawned on Nino. He frowned thoughtfully, and allowed it to just sort of slip out. "If Adrien is Chat Noir, it means I just begged Adrien to let himself be happy…"

Adrien answered, urgently, "Hello Alya? what did you do? what did she say?"

"H-hold on a second Adrien," Alya held the phone to her chest and turned to glare at Nino. "You did what?!"

The fire in her eyes shook him to his core. She was a fiery one. Her mood could spin on a dime, and being on the receiving end was like being burnt by a dragon.

"I… It's a long story?" he offered.

Alya moved her phone to her forehead as she sighed again. "You've gotta tell me when you're going to intervene, so we can work together and not get under each other's feet Nino!"

"Sorry Alya…" he muttered.

She reached out and booped his nose gently. "You're lucky I love you."

Down the phone, Alya heard Adrien say, a little puzzled, "You love me?"

"Not you Adrien. Wait – err, yes you Adrien, I love you, but not like I love Nino, and I meant that for Nino and – oh just come downstairs so we can take you to breakfast," Alya huffed.

"Breakfast? What?" Adrien frowned.

"Me and Nino are going to the café by the school, the one we go to for lunch, and we're having breakfast there in ten minutes. Come meet us. We wanna talk," Alya said.

"Sure… sounds great," Adrien gulped.

"see you there."

She hung up on him. Alya slipped her phone back into her pocket and yanked back on her gloves. Her fingers were too numb to tell she'd even put them on in the first place. Nino linked his arm though hers this time

"you're a good friend Alya."

She gave a content sigh. "I know Nino. So are you."

"She's going to kill me." Adrien declared.

Yawning from his pillow, Plagg agreed. "Yeah probably."

" _Plagg_!"

…

It was hard not to be a little hurt that they hadn't invited her to their breakfast that morning, but Marinette guessed that they had their reasons. At least Alya seemed to have moved on from her determined quest to sabotage any chance at a relationship between Marinette and Chat Noir. Adrien seemed cheerier too. He was smiling and laughing with Nino, right in front of her. Marinette watched the way his smile curled the corners of his mouth. You never saw that in his magazines. That's how she knew this was his real smile. It still warmed her chest when she saw it.

"I know that look. Thinking about Mr perfect, are we?" Alya teased.

Marinette shook her head. "He's far from perfect. He's closer to purr-fect."

"Oh Mari! Your puns were bad before but this is a whole new level," Alya groaned.

In front of them listening eagerly to their conversation, Adrien grinned at the bad pun. He loved it. He could see where he was rubbing off on her, and he loved it.

"I was actually thinking about how much I wanna go home," she said.

"School just started," Alya pointed out.

"Yeah, I know, but it's Thursday. I have to talk to Chat about... you know..." Marinette trailed off pointedly.

Alya's eye edged towards Adrien. "Yeah I know. I have to talk to you about that too. Me and Nino."

Adrien glanced over at Nino, who was staring down at his work, as if he wasn't aware of the hot water his girlfriend had dropped him in. Marinette frowned suspiciously at Alya.

"And Nino?"

Alya nodded but promised, "It can wait."

Marinette kept glancing over at Adrien, even when she didn't want to. Alya once said he was the safer option. That he was less likely to hurt her. At the time just, his touch made her ache like she was sat on by an elephant, but it was always so blissful afterwards. This pain... this heartbreak... even though it wasn't for her, but her alter ego, it felt like lava had replaced her blood and everything burned. Right now the safer option was looking super safe.  
His hair bounced as he turned to smile at her. For the first time in almost two months she felt her cheeks going pink. She cursed under her breath. One heartbreak and everything goes out the window.

"Are you coming to lunch?" Adrien asked.

"You go on ahead, we'll be right behind you," Alya said.

"Yeah, I'll catch up," Nino promised.

Confused, and more than a little anxious to know what they were up to, Adrien lingered outside. He couldn't hear very well, given that Alya and Nino kept their voices low, even in an empty classroom.

"I'm a reporter, if anyone knows the walls have ears, I do!" Alya pointed out.

Marinette leaned her head on her hand. "What's this all about?"

"That can wait, why have you gone back to making goo-goo eyes at Adrien?" Alya challenged.

Marinette raised her head at the accusations. "What?"

"You've been staring at him all day, why?" Alya asked.

"I haven't!" She argued.

"You have Mari..." Tikki said, quietly.

Marinette's shoulders sagged. "Have I?"

"Yes! Why?!" Alya demanded.

"I guess I just... I've been thinking about what you said. I love Chat Noir but he's reckless and dangerous, and I don't know if he could always be there when I need him-"

that was a lie. She _knew_ why he was late to things because she was too, and she could forgive him for it easily. Right before her birthday there had been an akuma and he spent the entire time worrying about being able to get back to finding the perfect birthday present. Ladybug repeatedly told him not to worry now, but he was eager to get back to it. It was important, he said. That's when she knew she could rely on him, even if he was late in the end.

"You said he wasn't safe, and I mean, the day we met he asked for my help to capture and akuma, then I saved him, and he saved me at my birthday party from my own grandma, and this is ridiculous. Trouble follows him..."

Marinette sighed. Her heart ached for him. It ached every time she thought about him, or that messy hair, or those mischievous eyes, or that killer smile that made her knees weak. It hurt more recently.

"Ok now what's the real reason?" Nino asked.

Marinette frowned. "Huh?"

"Mari I've known you since you could talk I can tell when you're lying," Nino pointed out.

"You'd be surprised," Tikki muttered.

Marinette glanced between Alya and Nino. A rock, and a hard placed. She was sat right in thinking middle.

"Adrien is lovely and sweet and kind and thoughtful and... and I know him. How can I love someone I don't know?"

Alya and Nino shared a look. Alya's expression asked a question. Nino silently nodded in reply. Alya cleared her throat. Her voice was softer and more caring than before.

"Marinette... Adrien is Chat Noir."

Marinette frowned. She lifted her head to look up into her best friend's eyes. There was no way to explain the disbelief in her stomach. It had lessened since the last time she suggested it, but still hadn't died away.

"What?"

"I found out the other day. Adrien _is_ Chat Noir," Aly explained.

"You're lying," Marinette accused.

Tikki's heart beat faster. This was not how she was supposed to find out. It wasn't supposed to be one sided. They were supposed to defeat Hawkmoth, and take off their miraculous at the same time, so Plagg and Tikki could welcome Nooroo home. That's how it was in her mind.  
An utterly happy ending.  
Not like this.  
Never like this.

"Think about it. Adrien's never met Chat Noir, every time there's an akuma and he's around Chat isn't, when we got locked inside a building, Chat happened to arrive right after Adrien went missing, Adrien wasn't at the Jagged Stone CD signing Chloe put on to become class president until he came running downstairs after the akuma with a bad pun!" Alya insisted.

"Chat loves bad puns..." Marinette whispered.

"Exactly!" Alya huffed.

"It could be a coincidence?" Marinette said hopefully.

"Tell her about the nails," Nino suggested.

"Right! Chat Noir paints your nails and now Adrien can paint like a pro too. You taught Chat to do hair and now Adrien is in our salon. What's it going to be next, you teach Chat to bake and Adrien suddenly brings in homemade macaroons?!" Alya demanded.

If this was good cop bad cop, Alya was definitely the bad cop. Nino was quieter and more careful. He knew how shocking this was. It was hours since he found out and it still hadn't sunken in fully.

"That would explain how you fell for him so easily too," he said, calmly.

"What, him being the same boy you've been in love with for over a year? Yeah maybe!" Alya huffed.

"How did you two even find out?" Marinette asked.

"I..." Alya trailed off. She really wasn't proud of how underhand she'd been. Still, no time like now to throw someone else under the bus. She pointed at Nino, "he threatened him."

Nino's eyes widened in alarm and then in fear as Marinette stared at him, horrified.

"You did what?" She demanded.

"I didn't _threaten_!" He hung his head in shame. "I begged him. And it wasn't about his identity, it was about... never mind."

Nino clamped his mouth shut. He had to protect Adrien. Marinette's eyes narrowed. He coiled back in fear. He knew what she could be like when she was angry. Tongue silver, like bullets.

"About what Nino?" She demanded.

Nino shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

Marinette folded her arms firmly. "Nino if you don't tell me I'm telling papa not to sell you salted caramel tarts anymore."

Nino's head snapped up, filled with more fear that ever before at the very idea of having to choose between his best friend and his favourite snack.

"You can't do that!" He gasped.

"You'd better tell me then," she threatened.

Nino was defeated. It came falling out, like a pained confession. Nino always had been one for the dramatics. "I... begged him... to... to leave you alone."

She reeled back. Her voice soft with surprise. "What?"

Nino tried to explain himself, desperately, "Not like that, I just asked him to stop being to perfect, because he doesn't love you back so it's not fair and-"

Marinette took his hands in her own and silenced him. Her own voice wasn't much stronger than his had been. "I love you Nino. I love that you care enough to do that. But, in future, don't. And anyway, he wouldn't tell you who he was because you begged him to stay away from me. What'd you really do?"

"Alya told me."

"How did you find out?"

Alya looked like a deer in headlights. She didn't want to tell her. It wasn't going to make her happy. It was going to make her mad, and the only time she ever saw Marinette annoyed was around Chloe. Alya didn't want to be like treated Chloe, even if she deserved it.

"I um... I showed Adrien this..."

Marinette's eyes widened as she took in the photo Alya was showing her.  
Chat Noir...  
Kissing...  
Ladybug...  
Marinette knew it was fake. Marinette knew she was Ladybug. She knew that she was actually looking at a fake picture of her kissing her crush. And yet it broke the splinters of her heart again.

"Wh-why-why- why would you do this?!" Marinette asked, urgently.

Alya bowed her head, "I'm sorry."

Marinette glared at her, betrayed and heartbroken, and Alya felt that guilt in her stomach.

"What did you say to him?! He's going to be- I'm -why?!"

Nino bowed his head too, shamefully. "Sorry Marinette."

"Can you two just butt out?! I know you both mean well, but you have me and Chat all twisted and unsure what to do! We were completely fine until you got involved!"

"Marinette-"

"We were happy... when did things have to get so messy?!"

"Mari-"

"I just wanna go back to December..."

She dropped her head in her arms to cover up the tears welling in her eyes. Alya and Nino stayed nearby. They knew this was their fault, and they felt that, but they didn't want her to feel alone. Tikki crept into her lap, to sympathise with her. It was only February, and yet December seemed so very long ago.


	18. Chapter 18

Two months ago, closer to January than December really, Tom had borrowed Marinette's phone to phone the cat himself. Marinette was still asleep at the time. she only woke up when her mother called for her too. She came stumbling down the ladder still in her pyjamas that didn't quite fit anymore. Tikki was still dozing on her cushion, and Marinette hadn't felt the need to wake her up yet. That was fortunate because she stretched her arms up as she came to the last step, and felt a chilly breeze around her belly. And then a shock of cold like ice against her stomach.  
She yelped and leapt forward, suddenly wide awake. It was like someone had pressed an ice cube against her soft, warm belly, and made her throw her arms up in the air in alarm. She spun around, expecting to see her papa, and there was Chat Noir, with that stupid messy mop, and a grin that lit up his eyes. He had a smirk, because his arms with still out, close to her belly, so she could feel the cold radiating from them. She hit him on the arm, which made him laugh. He barely felt it through his suit, so she hit him again.

"What'd you do that for?!" she huffed.

"It's better than any alarm clock," he winked.

Her mother wandered into the kitchen behind them, arms full of washing up, and smiled at them. Chat grinned back so Marinette turned to see her mother.

"Morning Mari," she smiled.

"Morning mama," Marinette waddled forwards so her mother could reach her to kiss her forehead. she leaned back against the side and gestured to Chat. "What's he doing here?"

"Your father invited him," Sabine explained.

"Chinese New Year cookies?" Marinette sighed.

"He thinks he can beat my Cherry Blossom Stained Glass Cookies! With cream cheese thumbs!" Sabine chuckled.

Marinette frowned. "Well that's ridiculous you've been making them since you were three, I think you perfected the method years before you even met him."

"Exactly!" Sabine smiled.

Sabine gave Marinette a pointed look that, even tired as she was, she understood immediately. Nino was too busy with Alya to come visit, Kim was on a diet so avoided the bakery, Max was making sure he was sticking to the diet by joining in, and Adrien was busy preparing for fashion week. Tom was missing having the boys around. A bake off with Chat as a judge gave him a chance to hang out with a boy, even if it was with his wife and daughter, while he was baking.

"Ah, Mari! You're awake! Perfect, now we can get started," Tom beamed.

"What'd you mean now we can get started? Haven't you already started?" Marinette asked.

"We couldn't. This time, we're doing something new," Tom beamed.

"That sounds ominous. Will you need a cool cat to keep things mew-ving?" Chat chuckled.

"No. This time you'll be part of the paw-formance, Chat Noir," Tom beamed.

At the same time, Chat and Marinette both gave them and each other a strange look, and chorused, "What?"

"Today it's a bake off between the grown-ups and the kids. That means me and Sabine against you and Chat Noir," Tom put an arm around Sabine.

Sabine leaned against him and laughed. Marinette glanced over at Chat Noir. Two professional bakers against a girl who learned all she knew from them, and a cat who's only experience with baked goods came from eating them.

"That's not fair," Marinette argued.

"Why? Do you think you'll lose?" Sabine smiled.

"Of course I'll lose! You two are professionals! Chat can't bake!" Marinette insisted.

"Yes I can! I've been learning with your parents all summer! And you've been baking all your life! We can do it," Chat said with determination.

Marinette glared at him, sleepy and argumentative. "Didn't you hear me earlier? Mamas been baking cherry blossom stain glass cookies since she was a toddler. We can't win!"

"Are you scared?"

Marinette froze. She turned, slowly, to stare at her father. He knew what she was like. He remembered the fifteen-hour straight video game battle from a few years ago. Marinette was competitive. Very competitive. It had gotten better since she met Tikki, which was why she could walk away from Kim's ridiculous bets (which was easier now Alix was taking the brunt of the matter) now. Even so, Marinette couldn't walk away from challenges her father set. She never had been able to. Not since she was two years old and he said she couldn't climb on the counter to get the cookie. She proved him wrong then. Marinette grabbed a hairband from the table by her side and reached up to tie her hair into a bun, keeping eye contact the whole time.

"I'm going to get dressed, and then Chat and I are going to beat you at your own game!"

"We are?" Chat said, surprised.

There was a new fire in Marinette's eyes. "Yes we are!"

As she started heading back towards her room, she heard Chat clap and rub his hands together eagerly.

"Grab the eggs, we've gotta crack on!" He beamed.

"Keep the pun train going, I'll be back in a minute," Marinette called over her shoulder.

Chat straightened his back, and stared off dramatically onto the horizon. "My time to shine."

Marinette could hear her parents laughing at chats bad punny attempts at trash talk. He was full of them. Every time there was an akuma he had a pun to match. She smiled to herself. She liked someone who could make her laugh. Once dressed Marinette gently shook Tikki. Tikki uncurled slowly, and yawned so her little pink tongue was revealed. She sat up, smacking her lips, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Good morning Marinette," she yawned.

"Morning bedbug. You can go back to sleep in a minute, but I thought you should know Chat is here, so you might wanna hide," Marinette teased.

"Why is he here?" Tikki yawned.

"Papa wants a bake off. Ladybug and Chat Noir against Sabine and Tom Dupain-Cheng! A bake off for the ages," Marinette chuckled.

Tikki gave a sleepy laugh, and said, "I can't miss that!"

"Come on then, you can sleep in my apron," Marinette smiled.

Tikki felt like a joey in a kangaroo pouch. Safe and warm. She sat low in the apron, keeping out of the way for her own safety, but she watched how they worked together. Marinette dumped an apron around Chat's neck and tied it around his waist with a bow, just like her mother used to do for her when she was young.

"Who's going to do commentary this time?" Chat asked.

"We'll have to commentate ourselves!" Tom beamed.

"Then you're going down one way or another. You two may have experience in baking but Chat Noir here can commentate for France!" Marinette beamed.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence princess, but let's not get too hasty. We've gotta work together on this," Chat said.

"Of course! You and I are the perfect team," she winked.

Chat felt a warmth in his stomach at her confidence. She knew they were perfect together. He smiled to himself.

"Close enough anyway."

Sabine and Tom shared a look. Ladybug and Chat Noir were the perfect team, and the only one here who didn't know that that team was right in front of them, was Chat Noir. Tom chuckled to himself. They were cute together.

"So, went do we start?" Marinette asked.

"Three..." Tom grinned.

"Two..." Sabine agreed.

"One..." Chat couldn't help himself.

"GO!" Marinette shouted.

Marinette darted across the kitchen to switch the oven on to preheat it. Chat Noir dove to the side where the ingredients had been set up by her parents while she was sleeping. Tikki felt the jostle as Marinette dove across the room. It would be more comfortable, she decided, to hide on the shelf, behind the salt and sugar pots.  
Tom and Sabine were a lot slower than Marinette and Chat. They were running like they had lightning in their feet. They were also a lot neater too. Sabine greased the baking trays neatly and expertly without incident. Chat split a dollop of oil onto the floor, and had to clean it up and wash his hand, so they were losing valuable time.

"Kitty, you sieve the flour, I'll add the cinnamon," she said.

"Cinnamon? we shouldn't use cinnamon," Chat said.

Marinette shifted through the ingredients on the table until she found the cinnamon. "Stain glass cookies have cinnamon Chat, trust me, I'm an expert."

Marinette leaned over the bowl with the cinnamon in her hand, and Chat Noir gasped. A little too loudly, he cried, "No!"

He split flour over the side as he grabbed her wrist and pushed it away from the bowl. The movement split cinnamon on the split flour, leaving a blast of a warm spicy aroma around them. she stared at him in surprise, and he gave her an apologetic look, quickly letting go of her wrist. his hold had been tight, and now there was a ribbon of red where his hand had been.

"I don't think we should use cinnamon," he said, quietly.

"why not?" she asked, in the same hushed tone.

"Christmas is just gone, everyone is fed up on cinnamon, it's time for a fresh taste for a new year," he said.

She frowned, "Like what?"

"Vanilla."

"Vanilla?!"

"I know it sounds plain, but vanilla and-" Chat glanced over his shoulder. Tom gasped and quickly turned away to pretend he wasn't listening in. Chat Noir lowered his voice again. "and this."

He picked up an orange from the fruit bowl, and pressed it into her hand. Her gaze flicked from the orange, to him, uncertainly.

"This? this limits the colours we should use," she said.

Chat nodded. "It'll be worth it. Trust me."

Marinette didn't look convinced, but Chat Noir was her partner. She couldn't image a time where she couldn't trust him, so she shrugged.

"Pass the vanilla then."

Chat beamed at her. Marinette couldn't help grinning back. He grabbed the vanilla from across the table and handed it to her, while she dug around in the cupboard for the grater. Orange zest and vanilla extract. This was going to limit the colour of boiled sweets they could use, so it'd better be worth it.

"There's not a lot of commentating from your side. Anyone would think you've lost your touch," Tom teased.

"Not at all, we're just making it a little more," Chat glanced at the orange Marinette had collected for added flavour, "Zesty."

Marinette snorted. That was one of his worst puns so far. He beamed at her, proud to have made her laugh. She rolled her eyes at him, but she didn't stop smiling. Marinette dusted flour across the chopping board, and elbowed chat playfully.

"Time to get kneading kitty," Marinette beamed.

"Why me?" Chat asked.

"I've seen you knead at nap time. you're good. get to it," she winked.

Chat wasn't sure if that was something to be offended at or proud of, but he did what she told her too. It turned out that kneading with his gloves on was harder than with his hands. Dough stuck in smaller crevices. Marinette added a little more plain flour, to help him get it off. once it was less sticky, he could knead it easily. Expertly almost. Sabine and Tom used the electric kneading machine that Marinette conveniently forgot about.

"So, what do we do with-"

 ** _BANG!_**

 ** _BANG! BANG! BANG!_**

Poor Chat almost leapt out of his suit. He turned to see what Tom and Sabine were up to. Tom had a mallet, Sabine had a rolling pin, and they were both hammering hard on the table. Marinette sniggered.

"We don't need that. we've got something faster," she said. Chat turned to look at her, surprised and curious. The innocence of his expression made her laugh. " _You_ kitty!"

"M-me? What'd you mean?" he stammered.

"Your cataclysm. Use it to break these boiled sweets apart."

she gestured to a pot of yellow, red and orange sweets in a bowl on the table. The limited colours they could use end up being the colours of fire, which made her smile a little. She liked that idea. Stain glass flames. She chuckled as she rolled out the dough. Chat Noir blinked in surprise, and gave her an uneasy look.

"But Princess-"

"You'll transform? I thought of that." Marinette reached into the cake stand that was covered with a pink top to keep the air out. she pulled out a baked tart she made last night and held it out to him. "a camembert tart handmade just for Plagg."

Chat Noir took it with a surprised smile. "You made this? but you didn't know I was doing bake off today, how did you know I'd need to use my cataclysm?"

Marinette gave a bashful shrug. "I didn't. I assumed you'd come visiting later, and you'd take it home with you for Plagg. This is just convenient."

Since Chat had something to feed Plagg now, using his cataclysm wasn't something to worry about. Marinette leaned over his shoulder as he cried out, and made it work. He turned the boiled sweets into little shards, which looked more white than orange. Marinette laughed.

"Fur-tastic work Kitty!"

He grinned, and his ring beeped. Suddenly he felt a need to run. Marinette reached out a hand to stop him. both her hand and his were covered in dough, so they got a little stuck together as she stopped him.

"You've got five minutes," she laughed, "Wait around a couple and help me pick which shape to make them."

Chat felt a ball of anxiety in his chest urging him to run, but Marinette's hand in his soothed him slightly. in his mind Ladybug demanded he hide himself away, but here, he knew deep down that Marinette wouldn't let him risk getting revealed. He eased, and picked a shape with her, and even helped start cutting them out of the dough. he chuckled when she told him to use a knife or a spatula to move them onto a baking tray. When his ring beeped for the last time, Marinette practically chased him out of the kitchen with the rolling pin. He ran out with Sabine and Tom's laughter echoing behind him.  
Safely hidden away in the bathroom, Chat became Adrien, and Plagg flew out of his ring, and into his hand. The poor kwami rolled on his back, kicked his legs in the air and groaned painfully, like the hunger hurt.

"Oh, my poor aching belly!" he whined, "I could _starve_!"

"Oh stop whining!" Adrien tutted, smirking, "Marinette baked you your very own – oh no!"

Adrien had left the tart in the kitchen. well could you blame him? his ring was beeping and Marinette had a rolling pin! But now what could he do? if he left they'd all know who he was, and if he didn't he'd be trapped in a bathroom for the rest of his life, with a whining kwami.  
He was stuck.  
Back in the kitchen Marinette was busy filling holes in the centre of the biscuits, with the crystals of hard boiled sweets that Chat had broken up for her. she happened to glance to her left. There was the handmade camembert tart. She chuckled to herself, wiped her hand on her apron, and picked it up.

"These are ready to go in the oven, but Chat's forgotten something he needs. Can you put them in the middle shelf please?"

"of course, honey bun, be quick though. our over tray is almost ready to go in too."

"I'll be right back."

The knock at the bathroom door made that bubble of anxiety grow and twist and knot up Adrien's stomach. He stared at the locked door and gulped. Plagg stared at it too, willing whoever it was to have food.

"Y-yeah?" Adrien stammered.

"It's just me," Marinette said.

Her voice eased that knot, so he could breath again. he sighed with relief, and unlocked the door. She closed her eyes and opened it a crack. Just enough to fit her hand though.

"I thought you might want this," she said.

Adrien's heart soar to see the tart. As did Plagg. The whole of Plagg. He leapt to his feet and darted over to the tart, and snatched it up eagerly.

"Marinette you're no princess! You're an _angel_!" Plagg declared.

Adrien blushed scarlet on Plagg behalf, but Marinette giggled as she withdrew her hand from the door. "It's always a pleasure to talk to you Plagg."

Adrien sighed with relief that she wasn't offended or annoyed at him, like Adrien was. he was not unaware of how much he owed her, and this, this tiny little gesture, was yet another thing to add to the list.

That gratitude weighted his voice as he said, "Thank you Mari."

She gave an airy answer. He could hear the smile in it. "Don't worry about it. Be quick, the biscuits are already in the oven."

Her footsteps wandered away from the door quickly. Adrien turned his head to glare at Plagg. Plagg looked blissfully apathetic as he savoured a mouthful of tart like it was the best thing he'd ever eaten in all the millennia he'd been alive.

"You're a pest," Adrien declared.

"She's amazing. you couldn't do better than her, you should marry her!" Plagg declared back.

"Are you forgetting about Ladybug? My one true love?"

"No."

"Then you know that isn't possible."

Plagg took a bite of the tart that was deliberately so large he couldn't talk for a solid ten seconds. All the while, he glared at Adrien. If only Tikki were here to talk some sense into him.  
Marinette grinned at Chat as he came strolling back into the room. He smiled back, still a little embarrassed about Plagg being so blaze and affectionate about her. he was never usually like that. Marinette didn't mention it other than to ask if he enjoyed the tart.

"Like angel food, he said," Chat smiled.

"I think I'll make more of them in the future then, what'd you think?"

"That spoilt kwami gets enough I think, but I think he'd appreciate it."

Marinette smiled. The question had been directed to Tikki, who was now hiding behind the oven timer. Her eyes shone with affection at the idea of Adrien coming in every so often, just to buy treats for Plagg. It wasn't like Marinette didn't come down here to bake treats for her. she knew the amount of love that went into them, and they tasted of it.  
While the biscuits were in the oven, baking, they started to tidy up the mess they had all made. That meant piling up most of it in the sink to industrial wash later. Marinette pushed a mop into Chat's hand. He wasn't used to mopping, but since most of the mess on the floor was caused by him, he took the punishment without complaint. He paused to check on the biscuits though the oven door.

"I wonder what kind of biscuits Ladybug likes," Chat said, curiously.

"I'd think she'd like Sabine's sugar bugs," Tom said.

Marinette felt a tug in her chest. The sugar bugs were only on sale because Marinette kept taking them to play school and sharing them with her friends and her friends made a fuss at their parents to go to the bakery, where they begged her parents to make them some for their children. Marinette was good at causing a hype.

"Everyone likes the sugar bugs papa," she said.

"then you say I'm right?" Tom smiled.

"I think she likes macaroons. They're her favourites. Are they biscuits or cakes?" Chat asked.

"they're biscuits," Marinette stated.

"They're Marinette's favourites too. Have been for years," Sabine said, pointedly.

Marinette's ears turned pink as Chat gasped in awe. "really? Isn't that paw-some, you have something in common with ladybug!"

"she has a lot in common with ladybug," Tikki muttered.

"Yeah, Pawsome," Marinette mumbled awkwardly.

Tom tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Pawesome… if I made paw shaped biscuits we could call them pawesome! And Chat could be the face of them!"

"Papa I don't think Chat wants to-"

"yeah that sounds great!"

Once the moment of surprise had passed, Marinette laughed and shook her head. Chat Noir had modelled dresses for her, helped her with her designs, stayed still while she did his hair (for practice not because she liked playing with his hair, and not because he enjoyed having her play with her hair, because that's what actually cats are for and Chat Noir is _not_ a real cat…) and helped her practice chat up lines she was going to use on "Louis". Now he was willing to model for their bakery, for a bit of publicity for some biscuits her father thought up on a whim. Chat Noir was a good person. he was more than that. he was a good friend.

"Papa, can Chat and I go stargazing tonight? To see the meteors?"

"Of course you can honey bun, but you might not see a lot. There's a lot of light pollution in Paris,"

"And Chat might be busy,"

"are you?"

"I-I am…"

"Oh."

"But I'll be finished by about half eight. I can be here for nine,"

"Papa?"

"If I can't trust a hero of Paris with my daughter, who can I trust?"

"Thanks papa!"

When the biscuits came out of the oven, Marinette used the spatula to move them onto a plate, and waited for them to cool. She and Chat mixed up some yellow and white icing, and drew little basic line decorations along the edge of the hole and points of the stars. now their biscuits were golden brown stars, with smaller orange see through boiled sweet stars in the centre, and white and yellow icing for that sparkling effect.

"Can I add these at the point of each star?" Chat asked hopefully.

He was holding a pot of those silver metallic sugar balls. They had fallen out of fashion, so they didn't get used much anymore, but Chat loved them. Marinette chuckled at the childish hope in his eyes and shrugged.

"Sure. and maybe tonight we'll get to see some real stars to outshine these," she said.

Chat nodded, already carefully picking out the balls to add to the tip of each star. "Hopefully."

…

Tikki was shivering. That's how Marinette knew it was freezing. Her kwami, who adored all things cold, was shivering. Despite her usual protests, Tikki allowed Marinette to wriggle her knitted jumper back on over her head.

"I don't want you to get sick," Marinette insisted.

She herself was bundled up in a jumper, a coat, a hat, ear muffs and a scarf. She, like Plagg, didn't much like the cold. It was already dark, and had been for hours. Marinette was waiting on her balcony for Chat to turn up. he still had ten minutes to get there, but Marinette half expected him not to appear at all. Alya did say he was unreliable…  
Just as she was beginning to think he wasn't actually coming, and maybe she should just go inside where it was warm, she felt Tikki dive into her pocket. Marinette turned back to look out over the city, for her kitty. She couldn't see him anywhere. Not even a shadow.

"Sorry I'm late."

Marinette shot a foot into the air as Chat spoke from behind her. he'd snuck in over the roof, to land behind her, and make her jump again. she grinned, and hit him again. it hurt even less than before because of all her padding.

"if you keep scaring me like that, I'm going to have to get a bottle of water to spray at you!" she threatened.

His eyes widened. "you wouldn't!"

"wouldn't I?" she challenged.

Chat pressed a hand against his chest in mock offence, "after all I've done for you! I slaved in the kitchen making the perfect hot coco, sweet, just like my princess, and this is how I get repaid?!"

Marinette smirked. she picked up a thermos from the floor, and clinked it against the thermos on his waist, where his staff usually sat. "snap."

Chat glanced at his thermos, at hers, and then at her. a grin broke across his face, and he burst into laughter. she couldn't help joining in. great minds think alike.

"I also brought a bunch of the biscuits we made this morning, in case you were hungry. I don't know what you've been doing all day, but a cat's hunger never seems to be satisfied, so I thought…" Marinette trailed off.

Chat beamed at her, his green eyes shining in the moonlight, "you thought purr-fectly princess. I'm famished!"

To be fair, he was supposed to be on a diet, and he'd spent hours exercising to burn off the biscuits from this morning so his father wouldn't point out the weight he'd put on from last week's weighing. Usually it wouldn't matter too much, and his father would just roll his eyes and make a note of it, but now that fashion week was fast approaching, Adrien had to be the perfect weight to model the latest designs. That was taxing. And he'd been so busy today (his father was making the gorilla go through practicing "evasive driving techniques" so if the paparazzi followed him in the car he would get away without another Lady Di situation, which meant Adrien had to be treated like a rag doll for most of the day for added realism) he didn't get a chance to eat.

"Light pollution is really bad here, like Tom said, so why don't we go on a bit of an adventure?" Chat asked.

Marinette shrugged. "where'd you have in mind?"

It was freezing to swoop through the air, even with her arms wrapped around him tightly, her layers, and the thermoses of hot cocoa and biscuits and a blanket all close to her back, in her backpack, for extra padding. Chat kept going until they got to the edge of the city. He adjusted her grasp so she was clinging to him like a baby monkey clinging to its mother, and he twirled the staff above his head like a helicopter. He landed feet first on the ground, way out in the middle of Vexin Français Natural Regional Park. Chat helped her step down into the grass. The feeling in her legs had gone again, and she had to hold onto his arm to steady herself. Tikki, hidden away in a pocket on her scarf, was feeling just as chilled.

"You ok?" Chat asked.

"Where are we sitting?" Marinette asked, holding onto him still.

"Over here will do," Chat pointed.

Marinette pulled her backpack off, and tugged it open despite her numb fingers, and pulled out the blanket. She threw it down across the floor, so they didn't have to sit on the ground. Chat crossed his legs, Marinette sat beside him.

"Aren't you cold? You don't even have a scarf," she said.

"The only part of me that's cold is my nose," he explained.

Marinette remembered when Alya said that to Nino. He leaned forward and kissed her nose, and her whole face turned red so none of her was cold anymore. Marinette felt her cheeks flush at the idea of kissing Chat. Fortunately she could pass it off as rosy cheeks from being cold.

"Try the hot chocolate," she suggested.

Chat reached into her bag, and pulled his thermos out first. He poured it out into the lid, and the steam shimmered. It was difficult to see. There were no lights except the moon and stars. The cold crisp December air had cleared the night sky here down to the edge of the city, where there was less light anyway, so right now all they had was the sky. The silvery light caught in the steam and made it shine. It warmed his nose easy enough though.

"Mmm, extra sweet. Just like you princess," he smiled.

"You never don't have a pun do you?" She smiled, "That's miraculous."

Chat beamed at her, his tail flicking happily in the breeze. He took another deep sip from the thermos lid, and then held it out to her. Her fingers brushed against his, and she gasped. His hands were freezing and the cup was so hot it took her breath away. In the darkness she heard him chuckle. She smirked.

"Shut up," she mumbled.

Again she heard him laugh. She took a sip of his drink, and wrinkled her nose. It was so hot it practically burned her mouth away, and it was more chocolate than drink. It was so thick it was like drinking custard, but it tasted smooth.

"I made it myself. What'd you think?" He asked.

"You've got the hot and chocolate parts down," she said.

Chat had laid down to stare up at the sky. He put his hands behind his head and smiled at her.

"It's bad then?" He asked.

She wrinkled her nose. "It's thick... I don't think I hate it..."

"That's reassuring!" He laughed.

She ended up laughing too. His laugh was too infectious, too purely joyful to resist. She held the cup a little lower so Tikki could have a sip. She had a real sweet tooth and this was too much for even her. Marinette chuckled. She drank the last of the cup, and put it back on the top of the thermos before lying down next to him.

"What time do the meteors get here?" Chat asked curiously.

"About half ten. It's ten now," she said.

"So about any minute then."

"Yeah."

Both of them gazed up at the sky as if they thought the meteors would come flying past just because they said they were due.

"Shall we play snap?" Chat asked suddenly.

Marinette rolled her head to look at him. "In this light?"

"Oh, I forgot how dark it was for you," he said.

"For me- oh, right, night vision. Lucky you," she rolled her head back up to the sky.

"Makes a change," he muttered.

"What'd you mean?"

"Nothing."

"Kitten?"

He winced, and then he gave a small, soft chuckle. "You know I can't fight you when you call me that."

She chuckled, "I know a lot of things about you kitty."

"More than most. More than Betty anyway."

"I was meaning to ask you something about her, but it can wait. Tell me what you mean about being unlucky," she said.

Chat Noir sighed, "I'm a black cat princess. We're not known for being lucky."

"That's funny, whenever you're around I feel like the luckiest person alive," she said.

"Now who's sappy?" He grinned.

"I'm just trying to butter you up so I can get in close and steal your warmth," she smirked.

He laughed. "Sly devil. Come here then."

Marinette wriggled closer against him, so her head was against his chest, and he lowered one arm to pull her in closer. It was warmer here, but she had to put up with her head rising and falling with his breath.

"Can't you stop that?" She said.

"Breathing? Not easily," he chuckled.

"Shame," she said sarcastically.

"Don't make me put you back out into the cold!" He warned.

"No-o-o!"

She reached her arm around his middle to pull him closer. He laughed affectionately, and laid his other arm on hers as it wrapped around him.

"Does that make you feel safe? Clinging to a wild cat in the middle of the darkness?" He teased.

He heard her laugh into his shoulder, so her voice was muffled. "You're such a dork."

"So are you. We can be dorky together," he smiled.

She rolled to face the sky again and gave a content sigh. It was cold here, but it was warm with him by her side. She couldn't help wondering if he could keep her warm in the Atlantic, on a door of a ship that had just sunk. On the door, obviously. She wouldn't make him sit in the water.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked.

She blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

"You've got this funny serious look on your face. What are you thinking about?" He smiled.

"It's not important."

"Purrincess."

She bowed her head, slightly ashamed, and muttered, "Titanic."

Chat groaned and kicked his legs in the air. "Not again!"

"Both of them could have fit on that door ok?! He didn't have to die! She didn't even have to be on the boat, it's entirely her fault!" She insisted.

"I _know_! You've told me a dozen times!" He laughed.

"Blame Nino, he's pointed it out a billion times," she laughed.

Both of them ended up giggling under the stars about how ridiculous that movie was. They were still laughing when a shot of silver passed in front of their eyes. Marinette gasped in awe and sat up.

"Did you see that?"

"See what?" Chat asked. Another meteor swished past high above them, and Chat's eyes widened in wonder. "I saw that!"

The meteors picked up speed and repeatedly flew past, like a million shooting stars rushing past them. Tikki had seen this a thousand times before, and even now she gazed up in awe. It was something amazing to behold.

"Wow... it's beautiful..." Marinette breathed

Chat's gaze edged down from the sky to her. He smiled softly. "Yeah. It is."

She turned her head and her gaze met his. She felt her chest tighten. Then he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, grinning, and she laughed so hard that she ended up flat out on her back beside him again. The meteors ran out minutes after they appeared. For a moment, they laid in silence, in the darkness, and then...  
 ** _BOOM_**!  
Chat Noir leapt upright, throwing Marinette up beside him. He spiked up, his hair standing on end, eyes wide, clearly terrified and ready to fight.

"What's that?!" He demanded.

 ** _BOOM_**!  
A firework burst above them, filling the sky with red sparkles that fizzed out almost immediately, only to be replaced by another in green, then blue, then gold.

"Fireworks," Marinette said, gleefully.

"Y-yeah... fireworks," Chat agreed nervously.

Marinette blinked at him in surprise, and grinned. "Is the big brave hero afraid of fireworks?"

"No..."

She sniggered. Course he wasn't. He wasn't afraid of anything! Marinette reached behind them, and tugged at the corners of the blanket, to wrap around him.

"I said I'm not afraid!" He repeated, even though he was shaking.

"I know. I'm cold!" She argued, and pulled the other corner around herself.

Chat didn't buy it for a second, but he didn't say that. Instead he reached for the hot chocolate and biscuits again, so they could eat and drink in the warmth while they huddled together in this blanket, watching the fireworks. Chat stopped shaking as much now Marinette was practically pressed against him. He wasn't so cold either. Tikki had seen fireworks a billion times recently, and they still impressed her. Humanity took something as deadly and destructive as gunpower, and added colours, and made it beautiful.  
The relentless regeneration of humanity made her smile. Nothing couldn't be made beautiful, no matter how lethal.  
Marinette leaned against Chat Noir again, and yawned heavily. The fireworks were fewer and further between now, but they still made her eyes sparkle with rainbows. Even as the time her eyes were open between blinks got lesser and lesser.

"Are you tired?" Chat asked gently.

Marinette hummed, her eyes still shut, "It's late."

"Shall we go home?" He asked, gently.

There was a pause. Marinette didn't want this to end yet, but she was exhausted and struggling to fight the sandman's grip.

"There's school in the morning," Chat added.

Marinette groaned. She'd be a zombie in school the next day, she just knew it. These days she was spending with Chat got later and later each week. Like they couldn't bear to part. Chat began to tidy away the now empty thermoses and box the biscuits came in. He peeled the blanket off of her shoulders and helped her to her feet. She folded it up, between rubbing her eyes, which made him smile. She was adorable. When she pulled her backpack back on, Chat laid an arm around her waist.

"Let me carry you," he said.

She didn't fight him. He leaned down, and lifted her up onto his back into a piggyback. She grunted at the movement, but settled with her head in the crook of his shoulder, against his neck. Her hair tangled against his.

"You know I can walk right?"

Her voice was low but clear, and against his ear her breath was warm despite the January chill.

"It's more fun like this."

If by fun you meant terrifying, yes it was. He carried her home and had to peel her off. She broke a nail from clinging onto him so tightly. He helped her into her room and helped peel her layers back down to one, before kissing her hand and thanking her for a nice night. She smiled and curtseyed sleepily. He grinned, and left the way he came in.  
Tikki opened her mouth to say something as they climbed onto the bed, but the moment Marinette hit the mattress, she was gone.  
But that was so very long ago now...  
Tikki glanced over at Marinette. She was conscious, but she wasn't awake. Tikki's antennae sank back against her back.

She wished for December back too.


	19. Chapter 19

Marinette gazed out over the edge of the balcony, staring into the depths of Paris. Chat Noir was due any minute. Marinette was so wrapped up in her thoughts she scarcely felt the cold turning her lips blue. She was exhausted still, but it was a different kind now. Emotionally she was drained. It wasn't worth fighting it anymore. That only got her heart and her head even more tangled. Something else had to be done.  
The truth had to be told.

"Marinette?"

Tikki's voice was quiet, but loud enough to pull Marinette from her daydream. Her gaze never left the spot on the Eiffel Tower where they had shared their first ice cream.

"Hmm?"

"What are you going to do?"

Marinette bowed her head and allowed her shoulders to fall as she sighed. Defeated like a deflated balloon.

"I have to know Tikki... It's not fair if he has to tell me who he is and I don't tell him who I am."

"So you'll tell him who you are? Who you really are?" Tikki asked softly.

"That's the plan..."

Marinette sighed again, and gazed down at the park, where he had hand drawn a map just, so she could find the Easter eggs he hid.

"Marinette?"

"Hmm?"

"Be gentle."

Marinette turned her head back to the little pink kwami sat in the dirt of a plant pot, where at first glance she looked nothing more suspicious than a flower blooming in February.

"Of course I will Tikki. Of course I will," Marinette said.

Adrien rested his forehead against the glass window pane, which made a cold red square draw the eye to his face. He rolled his head to the side to glance back into his bedroom, towards where his kwami lounged on the sofa, staring at the phone, hoping Tikki would reply soon.

"Plagg?" Adrien asked softly.

Plagg huffed, mildly irritated at Tikki and taking it out on Adrien. "What now?"

Adrien pulled completely away from the window and said, "I think I gotta tell her."

"Tell who what?" Plagg huffed again.

"I gotta tell Marinette I'm Chat Noir."

"Oh." Plagg sat up a little. This was more serious than he thought. "Really? Now?"

"When else?" Adrien asked.

"When Hawkmoth is defeated. That way it's safe," Plagg advised.

"I might not survive until it's safe..."

Adrien gazed back out of the window and remembered when Simon Says sent his minions to attack his father's mansion, his home. Volpina had come through the window easy as pie too, and tried to make Ladybug think he was going to die. It worked. He still felt his heart freeze when he thought about what would have happened if she had taken off her miraculous. If he was in that situation, Ladybug might not be around to save him.  
Plagg swept over, weighed down by his camembert feast, to sit on Adrien's knee, deadly serious now.

"Don't think like that," he said, firmly.

Adrien felt a rush of guilt for scaring his friend like that. "Anyway, Marinette deserves to know now... if this turns out to be something we both want we should start it with complete honesty."

"You're gonna tell her you love her?"

"Yes. Yes I am."

"Good luck," Plagg said.

Adrien sighed with relief that he wasn't trying to talk him out of this. It wouldn't have been difficult. "Thanks."

"But be careful," Plagg warned.

Adrien nodded. "I know Plagg. I will be."

Marinette was on the balcony when Chat landed. Usually he'd land on the edge of the balcony and hang off, like he was in danger even though he was balancing on his staff perfectly safe. Or he'd creep down the back of her roof and land behind her to make her jump. Either way Chat ended up in Marinette's arms, because she grabbed him to stop him falling, or because she wanted to punch him, and he turned it into a hug. Then she'd say something like "there's more than one way to skin a cat" and he'd flash a smile and say, "skin me nine times, I want to spend all nine lives in your arms" and both of them would laugh.  
They didn't today.  
Chat Noir landed on the balcony beside her, and he felt his heart rise up into his throat. He had no idea what Alya had told her, and he was terrified she told her that Chat kissed Ladybug. If she loved him like he loved her and Alya showed her that picture, fake or not, it would break her heart. Chat didn't like that idea.

The nerve shook his voice. "Heya princess."

Marinette knew he hadn't done anything wrong. He rejected Ladybug. Not her. She didn't know that _she_ wasn't Betty. Maybe she was. Maybe this whole time he'd been talking about her. But even looking at him reminded her of the pain, the utter, burning, aching, _agony_ of rejection.

"Oh. Hi. What's new pussycat?" She muttered.

He gave a small smile, but it hurt a little. She was clearly upset, and masking her pain with puns. He had to talk to her about this. Carefully, like Plagg said. One slip of a claw and he could cataclysm her heart.

"Can we... can we talk?" He asked.

Marinette tightened her grip on the balcony railings. She stared down at the ground, pretending not to be as twisted up inside as she really felt.

"About what?" She asked.

Chat felt his cheeks turn red under his mask. "A-about, err..."

His eyes flicked down at her hands. She was clinging to the railings so hard her knuckles were white. His stomach twisted. Something was upsetting her. Something Alya had said to her...

"Mari, are you -"

"Let's go inside Chat."

His ears flattened against his head as she walked past him. Her fingers lingered, clinging to the railings. She couldn't even look at him as she passed. Maybe his claw had already slipped... He followed her back into her bedroom. She put a lot of distance between them, even when Chat jumped down from the bed she took a step back. He frowned.

"Are you mad at me princess?" He asked.

"Why would I be mad at you?" She sighed.

He reeled back slowly, his chest aching at the pain etched on her face, "Are you upset a-about something?"

She drummed her fingers on the back of the chair she was clinging onto. She had positioned that between the two of them too. "No. I'm just thinking."

"Thinking what?" He asked.

"Thinking..." Marinette sighed. She couldn't put it off any longer. She walked to the front of the chair and sat down. "we need to talk."

Chat gulped. He didn't know what Alya had told her. He didn't know how much she hated him. He didn't want to find out either.

"I think I said that first," he gave an uneasy smile.

"Right. Sure," she ran a hand through her hair, "What'd you wanna talk about?"

Chat Noir edged to the sofa, and sat nervously. "You can go first."

"No, no, you go," she said.

Immediately she regretted it. It meant she had to sit quietly and listen instead of trying to figure out how to tell him that she was the girl he had just rejected. Chat stood up. It was easier to think and explain when he was moving.

"I've was thinking about your room recently."

He wandered over to where her Chat Noir doll sat on the side. It sat between the plush toy he brought her, and that selfie he had taken of them when she was dressed as Chat for Halloween, framed on her shelf.

"What about it?" She asked.

"I've spent a lot of time here recently... it's like a second home," Chat said, calmly.

"Oh yeah? It's my first," She said.

"Well if you don't want me here you shouldn't have given me those biscuits at the bake off last year."

He tried to be cool about it, but he was desperate to desperate to hear her deny it. That's why it hurt that much more when she said, even as a joke, "Or any of the biscuits since."

"Exactly... You should know by now that if you feed a cat they'll never leave you alone. After all you invited in this mangy stray and now look-"

That was enough. More than enough. Marinette had enough of Alya being rude about Chat, she wasn't about to let him be mean about himself. She stood up, grabbed him by the shoulders, hard, and yanked him round to face her. He was too surprised to fight back. Each of her hands landed on his collar, and then on moved up to cup his cheek, ignoring the rising heat of his blush.

She stared him, straight in the eye, and declared, firmly, and with no room for argument, "you are _not_ some stray Chat Noir. Mangy or otherwise. You are a hero. You are _my_ hero. You have a home. It's right here. With me. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise, d'you hear?!"

Chat's jaw dropped at the intensity of her glare. He felt his chest warm with hope and affection.

"It's nice to know still care, even after what Alya said about me," he smiled softly.

Marinette reeled back suspiciously. "What'd you know about what Alya said?"

Chat bowed his head. "Not a lot, but enough to know it wasn't good..."

Marinette stepped back. Tikki sensed the fear in Marinette. If she wasn't convinced before, she was now. Tikki winced. Gentle was about to fly out the window. She could see it coming. Marinette licked her lip nervously. It reminded Chat of the way her tongue peeped out of the corner of her mouth when she was concentrating. Usually that would melt his heart. Right now, he could feel the rising tension just as well as Tikki, and it set him on edge.

She couldn't stop herself asking, "Are you Adrien?"

His heart hit the floor with his stomach. Stone cold in terror. "W-W-What?"

"Seriously. Underneath the mask, behind Chat Noir, are you my Adrien?"

Her voice was kind of desperate. It would be so much easier if he was Adrien. It would untangle her emotions like someone taking a pair of scissors to knotted string. She wanted him to be Adrien, but she _needed_ to know who the real Chat Noir was.  
Adrien had been ready to tell her the truth. He was certain he needed to. To be honest. It felt like it was finally time... but now he was standing in front of her, and his name had fallen from her mouth again, he felt his heart ache with terror. She hadn't seemed to like Adrien much until recently, and suddenly she was over a crush he didn't know she had on him, because she loved Chat Noir. And he loved her so much. He didn't want to see her disappointed with the boy behind the mask.

"Are you kitten me?" He asked, in a desperate attempt to move on.

Marinette's chest tightened. She wouldn't move on. She couldn't. She needed to know. "Kitty."

He winced. She knew that name in that tone broke him every time. He just couldn't bare finding out if she didn't love him anymore. She didn't love Adrien anymore, but they so had Chat... Even if he was just a friend she loved him… If he lost that, it would kill him.

"Why would you think that?" he asked, quietly.

"Just tell me!" she begged, frustrated.

"Even if it were true, I couldn't!" he insisted.

Hot, frustrated tears stung Marinette's eyes as she stormed out of the room. A ball formed in the base of Adrien's throat. She couldn't even stay in the room with him anymore. He picked up the Ladybug doll. It was limp in his hand. She wouldn't notice it was gone, and it was something to remember her by. Because she wouldn't ever talk to him again after this. He gasped when she appeared again.

"Marinette, I have to-"

Marinette stormed up to him, and threw a spatula at his feet. He leapt back so it clattered against the floor, beside his heart. Chat stared at it. He felt the ball grow harder and tears well behind his eyes. He raised his head to meet her stubborn glare. Her eyes were red and glistening as she balled her hands into fists, and tried not to cry.

Chat's voice croaked as he said, "That's not fair."

Marinette had to gasp for breath as she demanded, more like a hopeless beg than a demand, "Tell me."

Chat closed his eyes and bowed his head. A single tear ran down his cheek. She was going to be so disappointed...  
A flash of green made Marinette wince, but she never looked away. The black cat fell away and in his place stood Adrien.  
Normal.  
Human.  
Beautiful Adrien.

Her first love.

Adrien bowed his head low. He couldn't bring himself to look at her. She must have been so let down that her great mysterious hero was just the boy who saw in front of her in class. He heard her breathing shake as she wiped the tears from her face. Plagg darted over to the shelf where Tikki was sitting in plain view. She didn't bother to hide. She wanted to see all of this. Plagg took her hand in his. They'd been through these a thousand times before, but this was one of the hardest so far.

"This is me..." Adrien whispered. "I'm sorry I'm such a let-down..."

Marinette shook her head desperately, but he wasn't looking so he couldn't see, and any words she tried to find died on her lips. She glanced at Tikki for support. Tikki nodded encouragingly. Plagg felt her grip tighten a little. Marinette took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I... I meant what I said."

Adrien bowed his head lower to hear her voice. Even as soft as it was, it shattered the tense silence.

"Which time?" He asked.

She gulped. "On the roof. When the akuma attacked. When I told you I loved you… I meant it."

Adrien frowned and raised his head. His eyes were red with tears, and he looked so utterly confused that Marinette wanted to gather him into her arms and never let him go. But she couldn't. She couldn't even move. She was frozen where she was, her heart on the line again, still bearing the scars from the last time she had to glue it back together.

"I still mean it."

Adrien's mouth fell open. His voice was barely a breath when he whispered, "My lady?"

She felt her heart tighten again. Her hand went into her hair and she tried to hide her face behind her arm, anxiously. Already her face was turning red to match her eyes. Hurriedly she tried to back track.

"I understand that you don't love me back. I spent so long in love with Adri- um, you, that I couldn't see that I was rejecting the real love you offered. I get it if you wanna go back to Betty, but I thought you should know..."

She trailed off and bowed her head again. Adrien stared at her. In all the ways he imagined this night going, this never entered his mind. Something about it made him want to laugh. A bubble in his chest stretched up into his throat, and he bit his lip. The sniggering crept out. She raised her head and scowled at him as he laughed harder.

"What's so funny?!"

"Betty and Louis."

"What?"

Adrien smiled a watery smiled at her, like everything in the world was hilarious now. "Louis was Adrien, me, and Betty was Ladybug. You."

"I knew it." She muttered.

Adrien stepped forward slowly, and reached out to take her hand in his. She allowed him to, but her cheeks flushed redder. His fingers laced through hers, and he ran his hand against her cheek to rub away a tear.

"You and I have been chasing each other's tails, trying to get each other to notice us, when we already did," he smiled.

"What does that mean?" She blushed.

Adrien laid his forehead against hers, so his fringe flapped against hers. "That means I love you Princess Bugaboo."

She wrinkled her nose, beaming. "I hate that nickname!"

"I don't care," he whispered.

Nothing held him back anymore. He rolled his head down, until his lips pressed against hers. His hand raised slowly, and he held her bottom jaw gently. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and pushed herself back against him hard. The bliss of the moment spread between them. She felt his ridiculous smile through the kiss. Then came the vibrations of his purring. She giggled. He felt it. He purred harder. She broke away, giggling, and laid her face against his chest, her hand tight around his collar.

"Don't you like my purring?" He smiled.

"I love it. I love the purring and the puns and your ears and your tail and your messy hair and your dumb smile and your terrible baking, I love all of it!" She declared, breathless with joy.

He beamed. She felt his hand on her waist, pulling her closer, as if she would ever try to get away. He buried his head against her hair and kissed her head repeatedly. He kissed a trail down from her hair line, down her cheek, and back to her mouth. She pulled away for a moment.

"Adrien?"

She kissed him again until he had to pull away first.

"what?"

He kissed her until she pulled away again.

"can I paint your nails now?"

Adrien laughed as she kissed him again, and broke away to lean his forehead against hers, and held her around the waist so she wouldn't let go.

"I love you," he laughed.

Tikki and Plagg beamed with delight. Tikki was practically buzzing. She threw herself into Plagg's lap, tackling him to the ground, and nuzzling her head against his. Plagg laughed brightly and wrapped his tail around her to pull her in closer.

"You were right. Honesty is the best policy," he said.

"It always has been," she agreed.

"Then I should tell you something..." Plagg sat up, and cleared his throat. Tikki still sat in his lap. "Alya knows."

Tikki smiled softly, and leaned up to kiss him between his ears, affectionately. "I know. So does Nino what can we do about that?"

"You know I've always thought Alya reminded me of Trixx," Plagg said, pointedly.

"And Nino and Wayzz are a perfect fit," Tikki agreed.

Plagg beamed at her with pure joy that he usually saved for the gooiest of camembert.

"I've missed you."

"I've missed you more," she said.

He laid his head against hers. "Happy valentine's day Tikki."

If she could turn any pinker she would have. "Happy valentine's day Plagg."

Tikki and Plagg beamed at each other, love struck and ecstatic to be reunited. They weren't out of danger yet. They weren't any more or less safe than they had been a year ago. That didn't matter. They had each other now. They might never be safe again, but nothing, _nothing_ could ever make them regret the pure, unflitered, unwithering joy of this moment. Ever.  
Hawkmoth would still be out there, and he'd still send akumas after them, and maybe they'd fight for each other, maybe they'd sacrafice for each other, maybe they would have new heros to fight along with them, maybe they would win, maybe they wouldnt. But maybe could wait. Pain could wait.  
Tomorrow could wait.  
They were alive today.  
They were happy today.  
And they were going to hold onto that for as long as they possibly could.

Tikki leapt to her feet and flew over to the speakers. She unlocked Marinette's phone, and spun through her music to find the song she was looking for. Plagg tilted his head, puzzled, as Marinette burst into laughter.

"TIKKI!"

Tikki, now free from having to hide, twirled in the air, using all the space she possible could to dance away the utter delight she had. She sang too. Her pure joy was so infectious that Plagg flew into her, just to dance with her as she sang, so purely happy, that she couldn't keep her eyes open because her smile got in the way. Adrien and Marinette sang along terribly, and ballroom danced worse. It doesn't matter how bad you dance, as long as your singing has laughter in it.

"I SAID _HE-EY_ I'LL BE GONE TODAY! BUT I'LL BE BACK ALL AROUND THE WAY! IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYWHERE I GO! THE MORE I LESS THE LESS I KNOW BUT I KNOW! ONE THING! I LOVE YOU!"

"I love you!"

"I love you."

 _"I love you."_


End file.
